Flood sweeps away diversion built on Pheme river, commuting disrupted

By Radha Luitel, Phidim, March 13: A diversion built over the Pheme Khola in Panchthar district has been washed away by flood triggered by rainfall after four months, disrupting road connectivity in the area.

With the diversion flowing, the road connecting the district headquarters, Phidim, Nangin, Yangnam, and Sidin to the border area with India, Phalot, has been blocked.

According to the District Police Office Panchthar, the flood swept away the hume pipes installed in the diversion.

Police said that hume pipes have been washed away by the flood triggered by the heavy rainfall in some areas of Wards 12 and 13 of Phidim Municipality on Thursday evening.

The diversion had been used for transportation after the concrete bridge at the site was swept away by floods on September 28, 2024.

Officials said that the diversion had been damaged several times last year as well, repeatedly disrupting vehicular movement.

Although the provincial government has been constructing a Bailey bridge at the site, installation work has not yet been completed.

Chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Panchthar, Shailendra Singh, said that efforts are underway since early morning to repair the destroyed diversion.