Kalikot, Nepal — Continuous rainfall has caused severe landslides and riverbank erosion, resulting in significant damage to the Karnali Corridor road section. A portion of the road in the Kalikot segment of the corridor has collapsed and fallen toward the Karnali River, forcing a complete suspension of vehicular traffic along the route.
Heavy rains have destroyed retaining walls, gabion structures, and other road infrastructure, leaving passengers and freight vehicles stranded along the roadway. With a substantial section of the road washed away into the river, transportation services have come to a complete standstill.
According to local resident Prem Chaulagai, persistent rainfall over the past several days had already weakened the road. Flooding and landslides triggered by Tuesday night’s downpour subsequently destroyed a critical section of the roadway, leading to the closure of transportation services. The disruption has affected the transportation of daily essentials, the movement of patients requiring medical care, and the overall livelihood of local residents. Rural roads in the area have also been rendered completely impassable due to the ongoing rains.
The Road Division Office and other concerned authorities have begun assessing the extent of the damage and are preparing for repair and reconstruction work. However, officials have stated that continued rainfall poses a major challenge to reopening the road in the immediate future.
According to Police Inspector Ganesh Gyawali, Information Officer at the District Police Office, Kalikot, excavators have been deployed to clear and restore the affected sections of the road. While repair efforts are ongoing, he noted that it is difficult to specify a timeline for reopening the route because multiple locations have been affected.
Local residents have urged the government to adopt long-term measures to control recurring landslides and erosion along the Karnali Corridor, which is considered a strategically important roadway. They have also accused the government of repeatedly failing to adequately maintain and repair this vital route, which serves as an important cross-border connectivity corridor.
Source: Premraj Simkhada, Gorkhapatra Online
