NAWALPARASI, Aug 12: A  section of the East-West Highway in Bardaghat Municipality-4 of Nawalparasi has caved in due to incessant rainfall, obstructing vehicular movement along the highway.

One side of the road section  1km east of Daunne caved in due to continuous rainfall since Friday. With vehicular movement halted many passengers are  stranded along the road.

According to Area Police Office Bardaghat, around 10 meters of the road section has caved in and there are numerous other cracks along the highway. A week ago also, vehicular movement along the highway was halted due to landslides, but the  traffic  resumed after a few days.  

It has been  difficult for the authorities and locals  to clear the landslide debris because of the continuous landslides. Dozens of landslides have hit the highway over the last few days. The incessant rainfall has weakened the hillsides along the highway, adding to  fears of more landslides. Passengers are obliged to travel at great risk but they have no other option as this is the only highway for east-west movement. 

Meanwhile, massive flooding in Nawalparasi has inundated thousands of houses. Heavy rainfall has eroded the embankments of the Jharahi, Turiya, Khajura, Panwar and other rivers. Water overflow has entered the settlement areas at various places.

A week ago also,   around 3,000 houses in Pratappur, Sarawal, Susta, Palhinandan, Ramgramnagar and Bardaghat were innundated. According to  Pratappur Rural Municipality  chief Raj Kumar Sharma, the victims were just starting to relocate and they have been hit by another massive flood. 
  

 
• landslide
 
• east-west highway
 
• blockade
 
• vehicular movement