Kathmandu, September 14
The devastating flood that came down the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers via the Rasuwagadhi border point has damaged a total of 37 motorable bridges. According to the government-formed “Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi Flood 2083: Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment” report, 33 of these bridges were completely washed away.
The report states that the combined length of the fully washed-away bridges is 2,792 meters. By bridge length, the greatest damage occurred in Nuwakot.
In Nuwakot, 14 bridges were completely swept away, totalling 1,480 meters. In Rasuwa, 13 bridges were lost, but their combined length was only 566 meters. In Dhading, 5 bridges were washed away for a combined loss of 613 meters, while in Gorkha, one bridge was lost, amounting to 133 meters of damage.
Nuwakot alone accounts for about 40.5 percent of the damage among the washed-away motorable bridges. The report notes that Rasuwa’s bridges tended to be shorter, which is why, despite a similar number of bridges being damaged there as in Nuwakot, the total length of damaged bridges in Rasuwa district is lower. Four bridges were found to have suffered partial damage, totalling 240 meters.
The flood also damaged 68 suspension bridges, with total damage to suspension bridges amounting to 10,670 meters. As a result, the flood cut off access across river areas in various places, and suspension bridge reconstruction is currently underway at several locations.
