Kathmandu, July 19: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has stated that the water flow in the Koshi River is increasing to danger level. There is a possibility that the water level of the Koshi River may cross the danger level by Monday due to continuous rainfall in the upper catchment area.
Department’s flood expert Saraswati Bista said that the flow of the Koshi River may increase significantly due to continuous rainfall in the upper coastal area. “The water level of the Koshi River has reached 4.78 meters by this evening and the flow is increasing. As there is a possibility of rainfall in the upper catchment area tonight as well, it may cross the alert level of six meters by Monday morning,” she said.
According to Bista, the water level of the river will cross the alert level if it reaches six meters and the danger level if it reaches seven meters.
Pradeep Kumar Koirala, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, informed that coordination is being done with the concerned agencies regarding opening of 52 gates of the Koshi Barrage keeping in mind the potential flood risk.
He said that the situation is being continuously monitored and all the preparedness and response mechanisms have been kept on standby as per the requirement.
The NDRRMA has urged the residents, travelers and locals living near the coastal areas to adopt high caution as the risk of floods, landslides and inundation may increase with the forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall in various parts of the country.
