KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Six bills introduced in HoR
Six bills were tabled before the House of Representatives (HoR) today. Minister for Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, Sita Badi, presented the Bill Designed to Amend Some of Nepal’s Acts-2083 BS. Similarly, Minister for Health and Food Safety, Nisha Mehata, presented the Mother’s Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act (First Amendment) Bill- 2083 BS. Minister Mehta also tabled the Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act (First Amendment) Bill, 2083 BS and the Security of Health Professionals and Health Institutions Act (Second Amendment) Bill, 2083 BS and the Bill Related to the Ramraja Prasad Singh Academy of Health Sciences- 2083 BS.
Cruise ship stuck under Narayani bridge removed with three cranes
The Rhino cruise ship that was swept away by flooding in the Narayani River and became stuck under the bridge is being removed with the help of cranes. Three cranes are being used to remove the Rhino cruise ship, with efforts underway to move it toward the Gaindakot side. The cruise ship was swept away by a powerful flood in the river on Sunday evening and became lodged against a bridge pillar on the Gaindakot side.
Court remands Durga Prasai to 3-day custody for investigation
The Kathmandu District Court has granted permission to detain medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai for three days for investigation. A bench of Judge Uddhav Prasad Gajurel on Monday granted permission to keep Prasai in custody for three days. The Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police arrested Prasai from his residence on Monday morning. According to the Cyber Bureau, he was arrested following a complaint filed by Rachana Khatri, a lawmaker from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). Rachana, the mother of Gen Z martyr Rasik Khatri, had accused Prasai of making derogatory comments about the martyr on social media a few days ago.
How is Nepal’s hydropower sector faring after heavy rain and floods?
Continuous rainfall since September 25 has damaged electricity infrastructure in various parts of the country, forcing some hydropower plants to shut down and affecting transmission and distribution systems. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) said some generation plants that were temporarily shut down due to flooding have already resumed operation. Technical teams are being deployed to restore electricity services in the remaining affected areas in coordination with distribution centres and the Grid Operations Department.
Two more bodies recovered from Himlung avalanche, death toll reaches four
The bodies of two more people who died in an avalanche on Mount Himlung in Manang have been recovered. A search and rescue team from the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) recovered the bodies of Birendra Gurung and Ghanshyam Rai on Monday. The bodies of Chhabi Bhote and Pasang Bhote had been recovered on Sunday. With the recovery of the two additional bodies, the death toll from the Himlung avalanche has reached four, according to the association.
Human Rights Commission summons Valley Crime Investigation Office chief Khadka
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Santosh Khadka, chief of the Valley Crime Investigation Office, Teku, for questioning. The commission sent a letter on Monday directing Khadka to appear on Tuesday, September 29, after its team was prevented from meeting former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, who was in police custody, on Sunday. The commission is preparing to seek an explanation from Khadka regarding the obstruction of its team from monitoring Rana’s detention. On Sunday, a three-member NHRC team led by commission member Manoj Duwadi had gone to meet Rana but was prevented from doing so by police and returned without meeting him.
Raghughat hydropower project to take 10 days to resume operation, NEA clarifies
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has said damage to electricity infrastructure caused by continuous rainfall since September 25 has disrupted regular power transmission. At a press conference in Kathmandu on Monday, the NEA said some generation plants that were shut down temporarily due to flooding have resumed operation, while plants affected by damage to transmission towers will take some time to return to service. NEA Executive Director Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha said the tailrace gate and duct of the Raghughat Hydropower Project were damaged by flooding, while water entered the turbine floor. He said it would take around 10 days to clean the facility and resume operation.
Six killed, 134 injured in road accidents across Nepal in 24 hours
Six people were killed and 134 others injured in road accidents reported across Nepal over the past 24 hours, according to police. The fatalities were recorded in Sunsari, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Rupandehi, Banke, and Rolpa districts. In the Kathmandu Valley alone, 28 people sustained injuries in road accidents during the period. Police data shows that Koshi Province recorded the highest number of injuries outside the Valley, with 33 people injured, followed by Madhesh Province with 27 and Lumbini Province with 15. Similarly, 11 people were injured in Karnali Province, while eight each were injured in the remaining districts of Bagmati Province and in Gandaki Province. Sudurpashchim Province recorded four injuries.
Marsyangdi water level receding, no immediate flood risk: DAO
The water level and flow of the Marsyangdi River, which rose following heavy rainfall, are gradually receding, with the District Administration Office stating that there is no immediate risk of flooding in Lamjung. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Khanal said there was no immediate cause for concern as the river level has started to fall. According to him, the river’s flow had risen to nearly twice the level recorded during the floods and landslides in Asar-Shrawan, but has now begun returning to normal. “The water level is decreasing now. A few days ago, the flow was almost double that recorded during the floods and landslides in Asar-Shrawan, but it is now returning to normal,” Khanal said. “There is no immediate risk, and it is safe to stay in the area.” Earlier, authorities had increased vigilance in settlements along the Marsyangdi River after a landslide in the Ghattekhola River in Chame, Manang, blocked the river and caused flooding. The water level along the Lamjung section is currently receding.
NA meeting: Call for prompt rescue, relief and road operation in disaster-hit areas
The MPs have drawn the government’s attention to immediately arrange rescue, relief, and rehabilitation for the damage caused by floods and landslides in various districts due to continuous rains. Speaking during the ‘urgent session’ of today’s National Assembly meeting, the members drew the government’s attention, through the Speaker, to the damage to lives, property, and infrastructure caused by floods and landslides in various places due to four days of continuous rain across the country. Rajendra Lakshmi Gaire, a member of the Nepali Communist Party, mentioned that roads in Palpa were blocked due to floods and landslides, causing both human and material losses. She paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the floods and expressed sympathy for the affected families. She brought the government’s attention, through the House speaker, to the damage to roads, bridges, and buildings, and thanked everyone involved in the rescue efforts.
BP Highway reconstruction underway amid persistent flood and landslide challenges
The Khurkot-Bhakundebesi section of the BP Highway remains closed today due to landslides and erosion caused by the Roshi River following continuous rainfall. Chief District Officer Gopal Kumar Adhikari said traffic has not yet resumed along the section as efforts to clear the obstructions are still underway. A team from the Division Road Office, Bhaktapur, has been working since early this morning to restore traffic. Adhikari said that if weather conditions remain favorable, the road could potentially reopen by tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon. The latest disruption has once again highlighted the recurring problems of floods, landslides, and river erosion affecting the BP Highway during the monsoon season.
Former Chief Justice Rana seeks security
Former Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana has requested security protection following his arrest and subsequent release. He submitted a formal request to the Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari, seeking security for himself and his family. The application was filed on his behalf by his son, Sachindra Shumsher Rana. According to the application, former CJ Rana said he became aware of the security risks he faced only after his arrest. Police had arrested him from his residence at around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday and returned him home at around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. The application states that he perceives a serious threat to his safety and that of his family in view of the country’s current situation and security-related concerns raised through social media and other media outlets.
Two-and-a-half-storey house collapses in Dhapakhel, no casualties reported
A two-and-a-half-storey house collapsed in Dhapakhel, Lalitpur Metropolitan City-24, on Monday morning following continuous rainfall. The house belonging to Sobit Kumar Thapa, built on a three-aana plot on a slope near the ward office, collapsed at around 6:35 a.m. The collapse was caused by a landslide triggered by the incessant rain, according to Gautam Mishra, spokesperson for the District Police Range, Lalitpur. No casualties were reported as precautionary measures had been taken. The three members of the family were evacuated to a safe location on Monday after the house was found to be at risk of collapse.
Major highways blocked as rains trigger landslides
Continuous rainfall, floods and landslides have disrupted major highways and secondary roads across Nepal, with several routes either fully or partially blocked. Amid the heightened risk of natural disasters, authorities in several districts have restricted night-time travel and advised motorists to use alternative routes where possible. In Nuwakot, the Tokha-Chhahare road section has been closed to private and public vehicles, except those providing essential services, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The Pasang Lhamu Highway in Rasuwa remains completely blocked due to river erosion and flooding. Similar restrictions on night travel are in place in Bhojpur, Solukhumbu and Udayapur in Koshi Province, as well as along the Madi Chaur section of the Madan Bhandari Highway in Rolpa.
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