Nawalparasi, Nepal 28 Sep: Authorities have begun evacuating residents of Susta village in West Nawalparasi, located across the Narayani River, to safer areas on the river’s eastern bank as the water level continues to rise. Although efforts were made on Saturday to bring the residents to safety, the evacuation was delayed after many locals refused to leave their homes and ancestral settlements.
According to Chief District Officer Dipak Raj Nepal, the continuous rise in the water flow of the Narayani River has increased the risk in Susta. Authorities are now persuading residents to leave the area and arranging their accommodation at two schools in Susta Rural Municipality on the safer side of the river.
Most residents of Susta had already been staying at a temporary shelter built in Susta village since Friday. However, despite the Narayani River crossing the danger level, many residents initially refused to leave their homes.
“We made extensive efforts yesterday, but they did not agree to leave. As the situation has still not shown any sign of improvement, we have again appealed to them and started the evacuation,” Chief District Officer Nepal said.
Teams from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police are involved in the rescue operation. They are bringing residents, along with their belongings and livestock, to safer locations across the river.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Surendra Jung Thapa, commander of the Gorakh Dal Battalion of the Nepali Army, around 400 residents are being evacuated and taken to schools that have been arranged as temporary shelters. At least a dozen makeshift houses in Susta have already been damaged or destroyed by flooding caused by the Narayani River.
The water level in the Narayani River has been rising continuously since Friday. The current flow at the Gandak Barrage has reached around 432,000 cusecs per second. Since the structures of the Gandak Barrage are old, a flow exceeding 300,000 cusecs is considered dangerous.
Chief District Officer Nepal warned that the risk remains high in downstream areas as the water flow in the upper reaches of the river is still elevated. Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert and cooperate with ongoing evacuation efforts.
