RAMECHHAP, May 15: An eleventh grader of Manthali Municipality, who had left home on Monday to appear for the grade 11 exam, has gone missing in flood triggered by heavy rainfall which started from Sunday midnight.
The flood has completely inundated some areas nearby the market place. Locals had anticipated flood after the level of water started increasing in sewages and canals. Krishma Phuyal, a student of Manthali Sahid Smriti Bahumukhi Campus, went missing on Monday after being swept by the Ranjor River. Altogether seven students including Phuyal were swept away by the swollen river, others managed to survive.
The students were heading toward their exam centre which was fixed at Rudracheshwor Higher Secondary School in Manthali-7 when they were washed away while trying to cross the river.
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The ravaging flood had swept the students up to Tamakoshi River from where four of them were able to escape by swimming. Later, two more were rescued but Phuyal is still missing.
Inspector Rajendra Thapa of District Police Office, Ramechhap, informed that police have expedited search for the missing girl. It has been speculated that some more students might have been swept away.
Meanwhile, the bus station of Manthali Bazaar and Khandbari along with some other settlements have been flooded. It has also damaged some houses and shops. According to DPO, security personnel and locals were mobilized for rescue works from midnight as soon as the river started submerging houses. Some of the roads have also been damaged by the flood causing vehicular obstruction.
Some of the vehicles which dared to drive were found stuck in the middle of the road, unable to move anywhere. Obstruction of vehicular movement has especially affected the locals planning to go out of the district for various reasons. DPO has informed that efforts are underway to open the obstructed roads and take the stuck vehicles out of the mud.
A large section market place had been dug for road construction which ultimately increased the flow of water in the sewages causing inundation. However, this is not the first time locals of Manthali have been struggling with flood. In fact, there are some villages which are always prone to inundation.
