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Most districts in eastern, central Tarai sans power
Flash floods, triggered by heavy rains since Thursday, have severely affected the electricity distribution system, crippling normal life in many parts of the eastern and central Tarai.Flash floods, triggered by heavy rains since Thursday, have severely affected the electricity distribution system, crippling normal life in many parts of the eastern and central Tarai.
The flooding has damaged a number of transmission lines, substations and other infrastructure of the distribution system, according to the NEA. The electricity supply system has collapsed in the eastern and central Tarai regions, NEA’s Load Dispatch Centre said. The utility has yet to assess the exact losses and consequent damages caused by the flooding.
The flooding has caused a wide-scale breakdown of communications and electricity infrastructure in the eastern Tarai since Friday evening, according to social media users. People in the flood-affected areas are facing drinking water crisis. “No wifi no data, no network, no electricity,” posted GS Gupta of Birtamode, Jhapa on his facebook page.
The heavy rainfall has inundated NEA’s 132kv substation at Duhabi, leaving more than half a dozen districts across Koshi River, including Jhapa, Morang, Ilam, Bhojpur, Dhankuta and Panchthar without power since Friday.
“There is about two-foot deep water in rooms of the substation that house equipment like transformer and circuit breakers are placed,” said Dipak Dhital, deputy manager at the NEA’s Load Dispatch Centre. “Power could be restored only after draining floodwaters from the substation.” Similarly, a tower of 132kv Anarmani-Kabeli transmission line was swept away by flood on Saturday, cutting off power supply through the Kabeli corridor.
“We have re-erected the tower and deputed technicians to restore power supply. But as the continuous downpour is hindering our efforts, we are not in a position to say when the problem will be fixed,” Dhital said, adding the restoration works would largely depend upon the weather condition. The NEA on Saturday evening restored the electricity supply through Khimti-Dhalkebar and Hetuada-Chapur-Dhalkebar transmission lines which were knocked down by large trees that fell on the power cables following floods on Friday. The power utility has, however, reported that its generation system is unaffected.