Kathmandu, May 24: Nepal Sunday alerted India of possible flash floods in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after massive landslides blocked Kali Gandaki River in western Nepal, creating a huge artificial lake. The landslides were apparently triggered by the recent devastating earthquakes.
Authorities in India have been informed about the formation of the artificial lake, which could burst, leading to flash floods in Nepal as well as in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, said Hari Prasad Mainali, the chief district officer of Nepal’s Nawalparasi district, which borders India.
“There are chances of the artificial lake created in the river by the landslide bursting any time. We have asked the Indian side to remain alert,” said Mainali.
Security personnel have been deployed on the river banks, urging people to remain alert. Thousands of people in Nepal’s Myagdi district and surrounding areas have already fled to safety after the landslides buried dozen of houses. However, no casualty was reported so far in the country.
“A new deep and growing lake has been formed on the Kali Gandaki River in Myagdi district, about 140km north-west of the capital, Kathmandu, after landslides overnight,” officials said.
“About 95 per cent flow of the river has stopped due to the landslides, which have created the artificial lake of about four-km-long and 200-metre-thick with about 1.5 million cubic litres of water,” reports said.
Kali Gandaki flows in central Nepal and northern India. It is formed by the union of the Kali and Trisuli rivers.PTI
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