Chanaute bridge and Radio Melamchi office building swept away
SINDHUPALCHOWK, AUGUST 1
The flooded Melamchi river has swept away scores of houses and bridges in Sindhupalchok on Sunday morning.
The red bridge over the river in Chanaute has also been swept away at around 7:45 this morning, informed a local Hasta Pandit.
The bridge was the only way connecting Melamchi-7 and 8, Panchpokhari 1 and 2 and many wards of Helambu.
With the collapse of the bridge, traffic in the area has been shut.
The floods have also washed away a suspension bridge in Gyalthum.
Similarly, it also swept away the building housing Melamchi radio station last night. The building was uprooted and swept away at around 12:40 last night, said Radio Melamchi Chair Damber Rasik.
It may be noted that the floods triggered by incessant rainfall had swept away houses and land, and converted Helambu, Kiul and Melamchi market into a desert on July 15.
The Radio Melamchi building had been submerged in the floodwaters since then but was still standing. The building was abandoned and the radio station was being operated from a different location. Further details about the damage from Saturday's floods are yet to be collected.
According to Rajan Adhikari, Superintendent of Police, District Police Office, Sindhupalchowk, Gyalthum Bazaar is also at risk due to rising water levels in the river. The administration has urged to remain vigilant considering the rising water levels in Melamchi inflicting further damage.
Earlier, Nima Galgyen Sherpa, chairperson of Helambu Rural Municipality, had urged the people living in the coastal areas of Melamchi river to be vigilant saying that floods in the Nakote river in Helambu could lead to flooding of the Melamchi river.
