The integral structures of the canal were designed by an American engineering consultancy to withstand floods up to 7,490 cms, estimating the return period as a one-time event in 100 years. However, all prior assumptions have been proven wrong.

“After the water speed increased beyond 7,490 cms, even the water speed monitoring equipment broke down,” said project chief Maheshwor Narsingh KC.  He said that they estimated the water flow speed by analyzing the marks left by the floods and records of technicians who witnessed the disaster.

The floods also inundated the bridge spanning 315 metres over Babai river along the East-West Highway.

KC said destruction of massive proportion was avoided as the river changed its course.  The flood swept over 300 metres of the bund.”It was due to the bunds that the river changed its course towards the forest saving the bridge,” KC said.

The project has been rendered useless just after two decades of operation. Launched in 1995, it has been benefitting more than 63,000 farmers. KC said they farmers will face a huge loss if the canal is not rebuilt soon. Repair work on the canal is already under way.

Ministry fears disease outbreaks

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has warned the public of dengue and malaria outbreak in the natural disaster affected areas.

Floods and landslides have affected Banke, Baridya, Surkhet and Dang districts, areas that are prone to vector-borne diseases including malaria.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) under the Department of Health Service has directed all the public health offices in the areas to remain alert on the possible outbreak of the disease. The EDCD is planning to distribute insecticide if fogging is necessary.

Purushottam Gautam, medical entomologist at EDCD, said since there have been incessant rainfalls there is high chance of mosquito breeding in the stagnant waters exposing people to the risk of diseases. He said fogging of insecticide will be conducted while nets will be distributed in the areas. Chitwan witnessed a dengue outbreak in 2004 for the first time in the country. The disease surfaced again in 2006 affecting nine districts. Sporadic cases of dengue were reported in 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2010, an outbreak in Bharatpur caused widespread panic after the fever was diagnosed in 917 patients. Five deaths were reported among patients in 20 districts. In Kathmandu, two dengue patients were found in 2010.

The only way to control or prevent dengue virus transmission is by combating vector mosquitoes and paying attention to personal and environmental sanitation. (PR)

Dhanusha villages inundated

JANAKPUR

Floods triggered by rains on Monday night deluged around a dozen villages in Dhanusa district. Other six villages are at risk of being inundated due to the swollen Kamala and Jalad rivers.

The rivers deluged villages, including Lakkad, Fulwariya, Hathmunda, Harine, Digambarpur, Haripur, Prakastoki, Andupatti, Katarait, Poudeshwor and Parawaha. Likewise, the Baluwa river has started eroding land at Rampur, Nauwakhor, Prasahi and Jhonji Kataiya, posing risks to the nearby settlements.

Similarly, flooded Charnath river deluged 40 houses at Bharatpur-5. Ratneshwor Lal Karna, divisional engineer at the Water Induced Disaster Control Office, said they with the help of security personnel and local people have started repairing an embankment in the western side of the Kamala river that was damaged by floods earlier.

Meanwhile, floods triggered by rains on Tuesday morning displaced 10 families at Babiya Panchauri, Bhagawatipur and Laxmaniya-4 in Mahottari district. The floods have deluged office buildings of the District Police Office, the District Development Office and the District Court. Local people said 25 bighas of land was swept away at Kishannagar by the flooded Ratu river. (PR)