DHADING, JULY 20
A major landslide triggered by incessant rainfall has completely blocked the Prithvi Highway at Fishling in Chitwan district, disrupting traffic on one of Nepal's busiest road corridors linking Kathmandu with the rest of the country.
The landslide struck at around 2:20 am on Monday at Panidhara and Chumkhola in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-2, bringing vehicular movement to a halt. Large volumes of mud and debris buried sections of the highway, leaving hundreds of vehicles and passengers stranded on both sides of the road.
Police said clearance efforts were underway with loaders and bulldozers deployed in coordination with security agencies and the Department of Roads. According to Chitwan Police Chief Superintendent of Police Rameshwar Poudel, authorities are working to reopen the highway by around 9:00 am.
The disruption comes hours after local administrations imposed a night-time travel ban along the Narayangadh–Muglin–Kathmandu corridor due to forecasts of heavy rainfall and heightened risks of floods and landslides. Despite the precautionary measure, fresh landslides early Monday prolonged the road closure.
Officials said the Fishling section remains one of the most vulnerable stretches of the highway during the monsoon season, frequently experiencing landslides and debris flows that disrupt transportation and pose risks to travellers.
While traffic heading from Narayangadh–Muglin towards Pokhara has resumed, vehicles travelling to and from Kathmandu remain stranded until the debris is fully cleared and the road is declared safe for operation.
Authorities have urged motorists and passengers to avoid unnecessary travel, stay in safe locations and check the latest road conditions before setting out, as continued rainfall may trigger further landslides in the area.