Flood damages bridge, afflicting people including Gosaikunda pilgrims

NUWAKOT, Aug 19: The Nuwakot has lost its transport connection with Rasuwa after a flood damaged a bridge at Trishuli- Betrawati section along the Pasang Lhamu Highway.

The bridge over the local Gerkhu stream last night was damaged by the flood on the Rasuwa side. The highway is the sole motorable road connecting Rasuwa with the central capital Kathmandu and its disruption in Nuwakot has left pilgrims heading towards the Gosaikunda Fair stranded.

Gosaikunda is the famous religious site in Rasuwa where a grand fair is organized on the occasion of the Hindu festival Janai Purnima.

Nuwakot police chief senior superintendent of police, Basant Bahadur Kunwar, said efforts were on to create a diversion from above the bridge to resume traffic services. We are told by technicians that it would take at least two days to prepare the diversion, he added.

The Trishuli-Tupche-Manakamana-Pairebesi road, an alternative motorable route linking the district with Nuwakot was already eroded by monsoon rains. Flood from the Gerkhu stream also caused a loss to one crusher industry as it washed away industry equipments equivalent to half a million rupees, police said. RSS