Bajura, August 26

A suspension bridge over the Karnali River is at high risk as the water level in the river has risen following incessant rainfall in Bajura.

The river flows through Piluchaur and Swamikartika of Jagannath Rural Municipality. Prem Mahat, a local  of Jukot, said the bridge had almost submerged and the swollen river had started eroding the river banks.

The lives of more than 500 people who use the bridge on a daily basis are at risk. Mahat said mules were being used to carry daily essentials across the bridge, which could be swept away any time. It is very difficult to cross the bridge due to the flooded river.

Chair of the municipality Chiranjibi Shah said locals were worried that the increasing level of water in the river might sweep away the only bridge that connected the rural municipality with other parts of the district. He said the flooded river had been flowing through the bridge for the last four days.

Around half-a-dozen bridges over the Karnali River in the district are at high risk. Locals said the bridges that connected Wai of Swamikartika and Badhu of Himali Rural Municipality and Gotri of Jagannath Rural Municipality were at high risk.

Prabhu Raj Pandey a local of Sapata said the flooded river could bring disaster if authorities concerned did not take the matter seriously.

A staffer at Swamikartika Rural Municipality office Kuber Shahi said the dilapidated condition of bridges had increased people’s anxiety. He said they did not have equipment to measure the water level in the river.