Kathmandu, October 7. The low lying areas of Birendranagar Municipality of Surkhet have been waterlogged due to heavy rainfall.

The settlements of lower Surkhet have been inundated since Friday morning due to heavy rainfall at Karnali basin area. The rainfall has continued since Thursday night.   

Some houses have been waterlogged and harvest-time paddy destroyed due to inundation. Chief of district-based security bodies along with Chief District Officer of Surkhet, Khagendra Prasad Rijal, reached the inundated areas for rescue.

CDO Rijal said no human casualty was reported due to early warning about flood and inundation. Along with the warning of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology to adopt precautions, local administration and people’s representatives were mobilized at the area from the morning with rescue materials to minimize damages caused by flooding and inundation.

Parseni, Laubasta, Tilpur, Irauta, Ghogerni were waterlogged and paddy planted there damaged, according to Ward Chairperson of Birendranagar-9. 

Landslides have occurred at different places of Ratna roadway, Chhinchu-Jajarkot roadway, Dailekh-Surkhet roadway and Karnali Highway, resulting into disruption of traffic movement, said Spokesperson of Karnali Province Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police, Madhav Prasad Shrestha. 

Efforts are underway to clear the obstruction, said police. 

Meanwhile, landslide has buried a scooter (Karnali Province 002001 Pa 5304) heading towards Bheri Bridge from Birendranagar at Beureni of Surekhet along the Karnali Highway. The scooter rider Kamal Panta, 29, of Birendranagar-4 and pillion rider Suresh Nepali however escaped the tragedy. They were injured in the incident.  

The injured ones are receiving treatment at Surkhet Hospital.