Kathmandu, August 27
The Bhotekoshi River flood has completely destroyed around 40 kilometres of roads in Rasuwa, severely disrupting transport links to the district.
The road connecting Betrawati to Syafrubesi and Rasuwagadhi via Mailung has been completely damaged. Around 10 kilometres of the Galchhi–Trishuli road is also closed.
Meanwhile, around 13 kilometres of the Prithvi Highway has been buried under mud and debris.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said clearing the debris and reopening the Prithvi Highway has been given top priority.
The flood has also completely destroyed 41 bridges.
The ministry said the government has seven Bailey bridges, each up to 50 metres long, and work is underway to identify locations where they can be installed. The governments of India and China have also committed to providing Bailey bridges as needed.
In the first phase, the government is prioritising the reopening of the Prithvi Highway and restoring road access to Rasuwa.
Preparations are underway to install a Bailey bridge at Betravati. Until the road to Betravati is reopened, it will not be possible to reach Syafrubesi via Dhunche, according to the ministry.
To speed up road clearance and reconstruction, 20 pieces of heavy equipment have been deployed — 10 provided by the government and 10 by the private sector.
The government has said restoration of damaged roads and bridges and the resumption of transport services are being treated as top priorities, with work being accelerated across the affected areas.
