Landslides more frequent in quake-hit areas

Ratna Highway blocked since last 2 days

KOHALPUR, Sept 1: Ratna Highway linking Nepalgunj with Surkhet has been obstructed following a landslide at Deurali. The 82 km highway was blocked at the 43 km point after boulders from nearby hills, that had developed fissures in the April quake, were swept onto the roadway.

Vehicular movement is yet to resume on the highway after the heavy downpours on Sunday and Monday afternoon triggered landslides. And the efforts put in by the Armed Police Force, the Nepal Police and technicians from the Mid-Western Roads Division, Nepalgunj have been futile as the road remains blocked still.

Hundreds of vehicles on the routes linking Nepalgunj to the mountain districts have been stranded, informed DSP Rajiv Bahadur Basnet of the Area Police Office. "Efforts had been made to clear the obstructions. But the downpour on Monday brought more landslide debris and boulders onto the road" said Basnet. "A team equipped with dozers had been working to clear the road for one way traffic but a later landslide foiled that efforts" he added.

In the past, Deurali never saw any landslide during the rainy season but this time massive boulders have fallen right onto the road. Because of the blockage since two days, vehicles have been turning back towards Surkhet and Nepalgunj, informed the police.

The mountains were were loosened by the earthquake and aftershocks and have now been seeing landslides even during light rainfall. Ratna Highway, which usually sees less than a dozen landslides a year has already seen almost 100 major and minor landslides at Chisapani, Deurali, Babai and Hare Subba Kuna in Surkhet.

Chief of Midwestern Roads Division Office-3 Nepalgunj, Rajesh Kumar Yadav, informed that rock-breaker machinery has been sent from Nepalgunj as the dozers alone were ineffective. "Work is being carried out in the presence of police and engineers and officials from the Roads Division Office," said Yadav. "If the rock breakers are able to tackle the big rocks the roadway may be reopened on Monday night," he added.

After the initial efforts, the movement of motorcycles, jeeps and cars resumed Monday morning. But following a downpour at about 2 p.m., earth and rocks were swept onto the road once again, informed Yadav.

The number of landslides has increased significantly compared to the past. The 15 km stretch to Deurali Babai that would see not more than five landslides a year in the past has already had landslides at two dozen places this monsoon. Similarly, the 30 kms between Babai and Harre Chinchus, which usually sees not more than six landslides, has already seen 40 this time.

Landslides usually start occuring from August but this time they have occured right from the beginning of the monsoon. Roads that have not yet seen any landslides are also experiencing rock falls.