MYAGDI: A landslide in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality–4 of Myagdi district has blocked the Myagdi River, creating an artificial lake and raising concerns about potential downstream flooding.
According to Vice Chairperson of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, Resham Pun Magar, the landslide occurred at Bansbot cliff this afternoon, where debris has dammed the river at the border of wards 4 and 7 near Kausibot. The blockage caused the river’s water level to suddenly drop, said local resident Tam Pun from nearby Chhahari village.
Continuous landslides are still occurring in the area, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the blockage or the size of the resulting lake. A team of local representatives and security personnel from the Takam Police Post is currently en route to the site.
Authorities have issued warnings to riverside settlements downstream due to the risk of sudden flooding if the natural dam breaks. Settlements such as Chhahari, Kalleni, Bharwang, Sawata, Thapachaur, Darbang, Chiswang, Khopti, Pipalbot, Babiyachaur, Torakhet, Simlchaur, Tatopani, Singa, and Beni Bazaar are considered vulnerable.
Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Chairperson Prem Prasad Pun stated that detailed information about the size and potential threat of the lake will only be available once the team reaches the site. “We’ve instructed local authorities to adopt precautionary measures,” he said. “If the dam bursts all at once, it could trigger flash floods and erosion in downstream areas.”
The Myagdi River, which originates from the Dhaulagiri Himal, flows into the Kali Gandaki River at Beni Bazaar — the district headquarters.
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