Biratnagar, September 11
The Hunga River in wards 2 and 4 of Mahakulung Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu, has been blocked by a landslide. The river was obstructed by a landslide that occurred on Friday morning.
According to Solukhumbu Police Chief DSP Nabinraja Budhathoki, a landslide roughly 35 metres high came down about 100 metres below the head office of Gaurishankar Hydropower, in the area falling under Ward No. 2, blocking the river. This has created an artificial lake in the river approximately 100 metres long and 15 metres deep.
He said water has been slowly flowing over the dam formed since morning, and caution has been advised because of flood risk in downstream areas.
Police have urged residents living along the riverbank, as well as two nearby hydropower projects, to remain alert.
The site is located about 10 kilometres southeast of the Ilaka Police Office in Bung.
Even though water has begun flowing over the artificial dam created by the landslide, the risk that it could burst at any time has not passed.
Officials say that if the dam breaches, water from the Hunga River could affect downstream areas through Sotang Rural Municipality and Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality, all the way to the Dudhkoshi River in Khotang and Okhaldhunga districts.
DSP Budhathoki added that since water has started flowing over the top of the landslide debris, the risk is not considered to be major at this time.
