KATHMANDU: Vehicular movement along the Narayangadh–Butwal section of the East-West Highway has come to a complete standstill after diversions built at Choramara and Dumkibas in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) were swept away by floodwaters.
According to Superintendent of Police Yadav Dhakal of the District Police Office, the temporary roads constructed as alternatives after the collapse of bridges in both areas were destroyed by heavy rainfall on Thursday night.
A pickup van carrying vegetables was also swept away by the flood. The vehicle got stuck in a damaged section of the road, though no human casualties have been reported.
The diversions had been facilitating traffic movement after the collapse of two key bridges in the region. The Choramara bridge had broken down on May 12, while the Dumkibas bridge collapsed earlier on January 10. Since then, vehicles had been using makeshift routes through riverbeds to cross the affected areas.
With both temporary routes now destroyed, hundreds of passengers have been left stranded in the Choramara and Dumkibas areas. Authorities have begun efforts to rebuild the diversions and restore traffic, but no timeline for reopening has yet been confirmed.
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