The residents of Khalanga are at risk of floods and landslides after the swollen Mahakali river destroyed an embankment that is under construction. 

The flooded river on Monday destroyed the foundation of the embankment at the Bangabagad area.

According to the Mahakali River Control Project, the foundation of the embankment was swept away due after a dry landslide in the Pithoragarh area of India triggered water pressure in the river on the Nepali side.

Sushil Chandra Devkota, chief of the project, said there lack of counter retaining walls caused the river to erode the banks. “The Bangabagad and Ghat Bazaar areas will be at risk if the water level increases in the river,” said Devkota. 

Though the Indian authorities agreed to remove the landslide debris soon after evaluating its impact on the Nepali side, they have not been able to work during the monsoon. 

“The government delayed embankment construction on the Nepali side just opposite to the landslide that occurred on the Indian side. We are living under a constant threat now,” said Bhojraj Joshi, a local. 

The project has so far constructed a 3,700-metre embankment along the river, but construction along the 1.3 kilometres stretch is still to be completed.