Makwanpur, Nepal - October 2, 2026: A potentially serious ground instability has emerged in Nepal’s Chure region after continuous rainfall last week triggered extensive fissuring and subsidence across parts of Bakaiya Rural Municipality-6 in Makwanpur district.
The affected area, covering approximately two square kilometres of Morangedhap and Thulo Jyamire, has developed deep cracks and areas of sinking ground. Local authorities and residents report that some sections have subsided by up to around 12 feet (3.7 metres).
The movement has affected homes, roads and electricity infrastructure, raising concerns that additional sections of the settlement could become unstable if heavy rainfall continues. Recent reports say 15 households have been displaced, while approximately 80 households are considered to be at high risk.
Residents have reported cracks appearing inside houses, while parts of the ground have shifted and electricity poles have tilted. Some residents have also reported unusual sounds apparently coming from beneath the ground as the movement occurred.
The affected families are taking shelter at Shankheshwari Basic School, with some residents reportedly continuing to visit their homes during the day while avoiding overnight stays in the most vulnerable areas.
Authorities urge residents to move to safety
The Makwanpur district administration and Bakaiya Rural Municipality have responded by moving vulnerable families away from the unstable area. Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army have also been involved in safety and evacuation measures.
Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari has emphasized that protecting residents is the immediate priority. Authorities have also informed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs about the situation.
Officials say, however, that it is too early to determine precisely why the ground is moving or whether the entire settlement will need to be relocated. A technical investigation involving geological and disaster-risk specialists is expected to assess the ground structure, the extent of the cracks, the possibility of further movement and whether the area remains suitable for permanent settlement.
A recurring warning from the Chure landscape
The recent movement is particularly concerning because residents say the area has experienced similar ground cracking in the past. Local accounts indicate that significant fissuring occurred previously, including incidents that resulted in the relocation of Shankheshwari Primary School. Reports differ on the exact years of earlier incidents, but they point to a history of ground instability in the area.
The Chure landscape is among Nepal’s environmentally fragile geological zones, and prolonged rainfall can contribute to soil saturation, erosion and slope or ground instability. In this case, the close timing between several days of continuous rainfall and the renewed ground movement is an important factor, but the available evidence does not yet establish rainfall as the sole geological cause.
That distinction is important. The phenomenon has been described locally as ground cracking, sinking and shifting rather than a conventional landslide, and officials have called for detailed technical investigation before determining the exact mechanism.
For the affected families, however, the immediate issue is clear: homes are becoming unsafe, the ground is continuing to move, and the possibility of further rainfall adds another layer of risk.
The developing situation in Morangedhap and Thulo Jyamire is another reminder that disaster risk in Nepal is not limited to sudden floods and landslides. Slow-moving ground instability can also threaten settlements, infrastructure, livelihoods and community safety-particularly in fragile mountain and Chure environments.
Authorities and technical agencies are now expected to determine whether the affected settlement can be made safe through mitigation measures or whether long-term relocation and alternative livelihood arrangements will be necessary.
Ecosphere News will continue to follow developments and the findings of the forthcoming technical assessment.
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