October 8: Kimrongkhola, a local river in Annapurna Rural Municipality-11 has been blocked by a landslide resulting in the formation of a lake.
Ward chair Him Bahadur Gurung of Annapurna-11 confirmed that the river has been blocked by a landslide forming a lake, which poses a significant risk to the settlements downstream.
The risks still remain high as the pool of water started flowing since 11 am today, he told the state-owned RSS.
"Kimrongkhola was blocked by a landslide last night. The pool of water has started flowing after 15 hours. We have asked everyone to stay alert as there is a possibility of damage if it bursts suddenly," RSS quoted Gurung as saying.
Kimrongkhola, a tributary of the Kali Gandaki, flows into the Modi river through Jhinodanda of the ward-7 and 11 in Annapurna Rural Municipality.
According to RSS, the people living on the riverbanks of wards 7, 8, 10 and 11 in Annapurna Rural Municipality have been asked to be alert and safe.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of the rural municipality Bharat Man Gurung said that people's representatives of the respective wards, the police posts in Birethanti and Nayapul and the locals have been informed about the river blockade and its potential threat.
It may be noted that flash flood in northeast India recently killed at least 56 people while thousands were stranded in the deluge.
AFP reported that violent torrents stuck the remote state of Sikkim on Wednesday after the sudden bursting of a high-altitude glacial lake near India's borders with China and Nepal.
Various studies conducted by ICIMOD and other organisations have warned of potential risks of glacial lake outburst floods in parts of Nepal.
The area where the river was blocked on Saturday night is close to the Seti River, which witnessed a massive flash flood in 2012.
Most recently, Mustang district’s Kagbeni was hit by a flashflood in August incurring losses worth millions to physical infrastructure. However, human casualty was averted due to timely intervention by the local authorities.
