MYAGDI: A landslide from the cliff at Bansbot, ward no. 4 of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality in Myagdi district, blocked the Myagdi River this afternoon.

The landslide debris has accumulated in the river, forming a temporary lake, according to Resham Punmagar, the vice-chairperson of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality. The landslide is continuing to deposit materials into the river.

The blockage occurred at the boundary between wards 4 and 7 of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, near the cliff below Kausibot. Following heavy rainfall in the morning, the water level of the Myagdi River rose but then decreased after the landslide blockage.

Authorities have issued warnings and taken precautionary measures for the riverside settlements. Some of the affected settlements along the Myagdi River include Chhari, Kalleni, Bharwang, Sanwata, Thapachaur, Darwang, Chiswang, Khopti, Pipalbot, Babiyachaur, Torakhet, Simalchaur, Tatopani, Singa, and Beni Bazaar.

A team consisting of local representatives including Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Chairperson Prem Prasad Pun, Vice-Chairperson Resham Punmagar, and security personnel from Takam Police Post have been dispatched to the site.

Chairperson Pun mentioned that a better assessment of the size of the formed lake can be made once they reach the location.

The chairperson further cautioned that if the natural dam formed by the landslide breaks suddenly, it could cause flooding and erosion in the downstream settlements. The administration has urged local residents to remain alert.

The Myagdi River, which originates from springs in the Dhaulagiri Mountain, eventually joins the Kali Gandaki River at Beni Bazaar.