PANCHTHAR: Phidim-Ilam road section of the Mechi Highway has been obstructed due to rain-triggered landslide in Falgunanda Rural Municipality-3 of Panchthar district.

With the monsoon in its peak, the landslide at Pangrebhir in Pauwasartap blocked the highway.  Landslides have been occurring on a daily basis since the second week of July.

Although authorities, including security personnel with the help of excavator, had been resuming the interrupted vehicular movement clearing the landslide debris, the landslide that started on Wednesday evening continued blocking the highway. As a result, passengers of the vehicles en route from Ilam and Jhapa to Panchthar and Taplejung, and vice versa have been stranded.

It has been reported that two persons were injured in the landslide. Nepali Congress president of Phidim Municipality -9, Lila Raj Rai and Falgunanda-2 ward chair Bahadur Singh Nembang were riding two-wheelers along the landslide-prone area when suddenly boulder hit them. Rai is said to be in critical condition while Nembang is out of danger, police informed.

Meanwhile, Panchthar District Police Office (DPO) informed that as many as 26 houses located in Falgunanda ward no 3 to 7 were under the risk of landslide.