Phidim, July 30

Landslides have obstructed vehicular movement in Panchthar and Tehrathum along the Mid-Hill Highway.

While over half-a-dozen landslides in the Sagarkhande area alone, landslides were also reported in Panchthar, Phidim-5 at more than a dozen places in Chyangthapu and Oyam areas yesterday.

Hundreds of commuters bound for Jhapa were stranded on the road until they were rescued and brought to Phidim.

The passengers had begun their journey from Chuhandanda and Sankranti bazaar in Tehrathum in the morning.

Transport entrepreneurs have ruled out the possibility of resumption of transport movement anytime soon as huge boulders have blocked the road.

“As the boulders are very big, it is impossible to clear the road without the use of an excavator,” said an entrepreneur.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Kiran Thapa and DSP Krishna Prasad Koirala made a field visit to the landslide-hit areas in Sagarkhande on Friday morning.

“We’ve been holding talks with the Nepali Police, the Armed Police Force, and the Nepali Army to find ways to clear the road as early as possible,” CDO Koirala said.