Palpa. The landslide triggered by the incessant rainfall has caused a huge loss in Palpa.

Landslides in different parts of the district have destroyed houses and blocked roads while one person is missing. Two houses were completely damaged in the landslide at Golfan of Dhustung of Ribdikot Rural Municipality-6 this afternoon.

Information Officer at the District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhim Lal Bhattarai said the landslide swept away the houses of Kesuram Saru Magar and Ram Bahadur Uchai.

According to him, four of Ram Bahadur’s family members are safe due to the landslide while his 59-year-old wife Krishna Kumari Saru has gone missing in the landslide. Other members of the family are safe, said Pranau Bhattarai.

He said that although the house was completely damaged by the landslide, there was no damage to other animals. Police said that it was difficult to carry out rescue operations as it was raining continuously and mud and stones were continuously flowing from the motorway above the house. The search for the missing Saru is going on.

The road was completely disrupted for some time after stones fell from above near Tallo Siddhababa Temple in Tinau Rural Municipality-3 and between Charchare and Joradhara of Tinau-5 along the Siddhartha Highway. Superintendent of Police Bhattarai said that although the road was later reopened after clearing the landslide, the landslide did not stop.

Likewise, the road section leading to Rainadevi Chhahara rural municipality from Batase of Ribdikot rural municipality-5 and Batase of Bodi to Rainadevi Chhahara rural municipality has been obstructed due to landslides.

Similarly, vehicular movement has come to a standstill on the Tansen-Harthok-Chhahara road section which is the main road connecting the district headquarters Tansen to the western part of the highway. According to local Bhuwan Rayamajhi, the landslide has completely affected the under-construction road at Kasumkhola area under the Harthok-Batase road.

He said that due to the obstruction of the road, the general public has to face a lot of trouble in commuting. Due to the obstruction of the road, the vehicles of essential services have also been stopped on the road. Rayamajhi said that the problem has increased due to the stoppage of ambulances carrying patients and the vehicles transporting milk from rural areas to the district headquarters and other cities.

Farmers and businessmen have also been affected due to the obstruction in the transportation of milk and other perishable essential commodities due to the landslide. The local administration and concerned authorities are trying to clear the landslide and bring the road into operation. However, it is said that due to incessant rain, it is difficult to remove the landslide.

Vehicular movement has been prohibited on the Dobhan-Siddhababa road section of Siddhartha Highway during the night in view of the possible risk of floods and landslides. The District Administration Office, Palpa, has closed the vehicular movement on the road from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am from Thursday to Monday.