Kathmandu, September 29
Roads leading in and out of Kathmandu remain blocked, with traffic completely halted for the third consecutive day. Vehicles attempting to enter the capital are stranded along the way, while no vehicles have managed to leave Kathmandu.
The situation is worst at Nagdhunga, the main western entry point to Kathmandu, where a massive landslide at Jhyaple Khola has buried several vehicles. Efforts to clear the landslide debris are currently underway.
Bishwaraj Khadka, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, stated that efforts are ongoing to clear the landslide from both the Dhading and Kathmandu sides. “Three to four vehicles, both large and small, are buried at Jhyaple Khola, with many others damaged,” Khadka reported. “It will take until at least midday today to clear the landslide and reopen the road.”
Yesterday evening, 14 bodies were recovered from two buses buried at Jhyaple Khola, and attempts are ongoing today to retrieve another buried bus.
According to the Traffic Police Office, roads leading eastward and southward from Kathmandu are also blocked due to landslides, halting all traffic. Vehicles heading north toward Nuwakot are using the Tokha-Jhor route, but only essential vehicles are allowed to operate, as announced by the traffic police FM radio station. However, the northern roads are also facing obstructions in multiple places due to landslides.
With the roads blocked by continuous landslides triggered by heavy rains, no long-distance vehicles have departed from Kathmandu for the past three days.
