The residents of Shahipur village in Tikapur Municipality, Kailali, are building a bio-embankment along the Karnali River to protect their homes and farms from flooding.

The villagers are cobbling together the temporary flood-defence system with the support of Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project, which is also building a concrete embankment in the area.

The temporary embankment would stave off floodwaters from the river until the concrete embankment is in place, said Sushil Acharya, the project chief.

Every monsoon, the Karnali River inundates several settlements and farms in Tikapur Municipality. Officials said wards 5, 7, 8 and 9 of the municipality were particularly vulnerable.

The project is constructing a 1km-long embankment to control flooding in these areas, Acharya said.

The project was launched in May and it will be some time before it is complete. Till then the Tikapur residents will have to rely on bio-embankment.