PARBAT: An irrigation canal known as the first and oldest in Dhaulagiri collapsed due to incessant rainfall on Saturday morning.

The canal located at Phalebash of Parbat used for irrigation purposes by Khani Gaun, Devisthan and Madikuwa VDCs crumbled due to pressure of high current.

The paddy plantation season has been affected due to the unprecedented collapse of the irrigation canal.

Local farmer Bharat Shrestha said that the reconstruction of the canal would take a lot of money and time.

Following the collapse, paddy plantation in hundreds of hectares of land in the villages would be disrupted.

Minister for Irrigation Umesh Yadav had recently made an inspection of the canal. The canal was built in 1984.