Landslide blocks Kali Gandaki River

Bharat KoiralaPokhara, May 24: Hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places after a massive landslide blocked the Kali Gandaki River at Myagdi’s Kafaldanda early this morning. According to local authorities, the landslide struck around 2am at Kafaldanda area that has been unstable since devastating temblor of April 25 and its aftershocks. Though the blocked river has already submerged two human settlements - Bainsari and Phedi - police ruled out any human casualty. “Hundreds of villagers downstream moved to safer places after the authorities issued an alert,” Western Regional Police Chief DIGP Pankaj Shrestha said. The lake created by the blockage of water in the Kali Gandaki River poses threat to dozens of downstream settlements in Myagdi, Parbat, Baglung, Syanjga, Gulmi, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and Palpa. Myagdi DSP Hira Bahadur Giri said 26 families from Bainsari and Phedi were evacuated to safer places after the river was blocked. DSP Giri said inmates from district prison were shifted to District Development Committee’s hall. Residents from downstream Galeswor, Benibazaar, Beni and Bagar have fled their homes to safer places, said DSP Giri. Syangja DSP Raj Kumar Baidawar said police personnel had been mobilised to the villages through which the Kali Gandaki River flows. DSP Baidawar said 42 households from Setibeni and 15 families from Aandhumul were shifted to safer places.Nawalparasi authorities have opened all the doors of Gandak barrage. Nawalparasi CDO Hari Prasad Mainali said all 36 doors had been opened to prevent flooding of more than 20 VDCs that are at risk in the district.Western Regional Administrator Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said water started to overflow from the lake at 5:15pm. “Since the water has started to flow out, there is no immediate danger of lake burst,” Thapaliya said, adding, “We have urged the people living downstream to stay alert.” Referring to the experts, Thapaliya said that 3,000,000 cubic metres of water had collected in the lake. Thapaliya said since Kali Gandaki Hydro Project dam had the capacity to accommodate 1,400,000 cubic metres water, downstream settlements were out of danger. The landslide also disrupted the vehicular movement along Beni-Jomsom road section. A meeting of the regional security committee held at the western Regional Administration Office has directed the security agencies and authorities in districts to stay alert, said Thapaliya. “A Nepali Army team led by Brig Gen Uddaw Thapa reached the incident site early this morning. But continuous landslide prevented it from doing much,” Thapaliya added. Meanwhile, an emergency Cabinet meeting today decided to direct the authorities in the downward settlements to be on high alert.Earlier PM Koirala directed the officials of the Defence Ministry and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam to do the needful to ensure outlet for the water collected in the lake. According to Prakash Adhikary, PM’s press coordinator, the PM directed them to manage all the resources, including technical apparatuses and human resources, to ensure timely and controlled flow of the river. The prime minister also directed the authorities to inform the people about the lurking disaster through local radio and other media.