Baglung, July 9, 2025
A massive flood triggered by continuous rainfall on Tuesday night has caused widespread destruction in Paiyunthanthap, Ward No. 9 of Jaimini Municipality in Baglung district, resulting in an estimated loss of over NPR 1.04 billion.
According to Deputy Mayor Harihar Sharma, the Kalungkhola River, swollen by torrential rains, wreaked havoc across the region. One of the hardest-hit infrastructures was the Kalungkhola Hydropower Project, which has been completely destroyed, incurring a loss of nearly NPR 20 million. The collapse of the project has left 122 households in the area without electricity.
A recently constructed bridge, built at a cost of NPR 3.5 million, was swept away by the floodwaters. Additionally, a central power transformer was severely damaged, disrupting the regional power supply.
The agricultural sector has suffered a devastating blow as well. Productive farmland that used to yield 800 to 1,000 muri of rice annually has been turned into barren riverbed. Multiple irrigation canals — ten in total — have been damaged or rendered unusable, further threatening the upcoming agricultural season.
Landslides triggered by the flood have placed six homes under high risk, including those belonging to locals Kul Bahadur Thapa, Tek Bahadur Thapa, Khadga Bahadur Thapa, Kears Singh Thapa, Pahal Singh Thapa, and Khem Bahadur Thapa. Five homes are already reported damaged, and two animal sheds were completely destroyed. One ox belonging to Tek Bahadur Thapa died in the incident.
The flood has also disrupted road connectivity, with the Kusmisera–Paiyunthanthap–Rangkheni–Bareng route rendered impassable.
Deputy Mayor Sharma emphasized the urgency of coordinated relief and recovery efforts, as local residents are now facing power outages, displacement threats, and severe agricultural loss.
As climate variability and extreme weather events continue to rise across Nepal, this incident highlights the growing vulnerabilities of rural and hilly communities. Local authorities are calling for immediate support from provincial and federal agencies to begin restoration and mitigation efforts.
