Continuous rainfall for the past two days has put several villages of Banke district at high risk of flood.

About a dozen villages situated close to Rapti River, including Bhojbhagawanpur, Matehiya, Sonbarsa, Katkuiya, Phattepur and Gangapur, face the danger of getting flooded. Already, many settlements in the eastern part of the district have been inundated. Rain waters have also affected the vehicular movement in areas linked by dirt tracks.

Khagendra Prasad Paudel, the information officer at the District Administration Office (DAO), said all concerned authorities  have been told to remain on a high alert should there be any emergency. The focus is to minimise risk in places that are vulnerable to floods, he added.

The DAO has estimated that around 15,000 households in Banke could be affected by floods this year.  

Meanwhile, flood in a local river has swept away an under construction bridge at Tilathi VDC-8 in Saptari. Police said the flood has also obstructed the traffic along the Rajbiraj-Kunauli road.