Hundreds of families living near Babai River in eastern Bardiya are at high risk of flood.

People in Bagnaha, Baniyabhar, Padnaha, Sanoshree, Taratal, Mohammadpur and Gulariya are in danger due to continuous erosion caused by Babai.

This year alone, the river has eroded over 50 bighas of land in Bankatti, Khailar and Manpur villages.

Erosions have also taken place in Kothiyagaun, Pashuhat, Thapuwa and Latkaniya. Dipu Chaudhary of Gulariya-13 said the Babai river is inching menacingly close to these villages.

Damodar Ghimire, an engineer at the Water Induced Disaster Control Office, said they are still awaiting government’s reply to a proposal of building an embankment. The proposal, which was submitted last year, outlines a plan to build an embankent stretching from Parewaodar till Nepal-India border.

Ghimire said the project would cost about Rs 19 million.  Just like an embankent built along the Karnali river two years ago is protecting the villagers of Banghushra, Bankatti and Tihuni against flood these days, building an embankment along the Babai river will protect hundreds of families who live close to river banks, he added.

Three drown, one missing

KATHMANDU: Three persons died while one went missing in separate drowning incidents in Bhojpur and Nuwakot districts in the past 24 hours. Man Kumar Tamang, 13, died while his friend Subas Tamang, 14, went missing as the flooded Pikhuwa stream swept them away in Bhojpur on Friday. In Nuwakot, Januka Mishra, 26, and her four-year-old daughter died after drowning in the Tadikhola river at Kabilas VDC-2. (PR) 

Food price soars in Gulmi, Baglung

Floods and landslides at Johang VDC-2 in Gulmi have obstructed the Rudrabeni-Bamitaksar section of Gulmi-Baglung road for the past 20 days.

According to Shantipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, nearly 45 vehicles used the road

to transport daily essentials to 25 VDCs in Gulmi and 20 VDCs in Baglung on a daily basis.

The road obstruction has led to hike in food prices in several parts of Gulmi and Baglung. The price hike has mostly affected Charkote, Shantipur, Majuwa, Bhuwachidi and Bamitaksar in Gulmi. In Baglung, Kharbang and Dagatungdanda have been hit.

Lal Bahadur Thapa of Shantipur in Gulmi said the price of white potato has reached Rs 65 from Rs 35. 

With transportation at a complete halt, he said, local grocers are running out of food stocks.

Jiban Mukhiya of Rupakot said the road obstruction has gone unchecked, and the authorities are sitting idle.

Police said flood at Badighat stream has swept away nearly 250 meters of the road, rendering it impassable even by foot. Traffic has come to a complete halt.

Chief District Officer of Gulmi Udaya Ranamagar said efforts were underway to reopen the road.