Thirty-eight doors of Saptakoshi barrage opened after water level crosses danger level

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The water pressure in the Western dam on the Nepali side of the river, some 19km south of the barrage, has been steadily increasing for the past few days given the incessant rainfall the area is experiencing.

The authorities have opened 38 out of 56 doors of the Saptakoshi barrage after the water level in the river crossed the danger level on Friday morning.

“The water flow in Saptakoshi has reached 256,615 cusecs as of the latest measurement at the barrage,” said Inspector Santosh Khadka of Saptari District Police. “Thirty-eight doors of the barrage have been opened to prevent a disaster.”

The local living near the banks have been alerted, said Khadka.

The water pressure in the Western dam on the Nepali side of the river, some 19km south of the barrage, has been steadily increasing for the past few days given the incessant rainfall the area is experiencing.

Increased water flow has put different parts of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality at risk, said Shailesh Kumar Sah, the mayor.

Similarly, one ward of Tilahi Koiladi village near the Western dam is also at risk of flood and inundation, said Satish Kumar Singh, the chair of the rural municipality.

The country has been experiencing incessant rain since Thursday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority on Wednesday had issued a statement forecasting incessant rainfall from Thursday to Sunday in Province 1, Province 2, Bagmati and Gandaki Province.

“The water level will increase in the Kankai, Koshi, Kamala, Bagmati and Narayani rivers and their tributaries,” the statement reads, “We urge people, especially those residing near the rivers that flow through Chure and Tarai in Province 1 and 2, to be on high alert from Friday to Sunday.”

The authority had also warned of possible inundation in parts of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Chitwan districts.

 

Source : The Kathmandu Post