KATHMANDU: Biratnagar Airport operations have been paused due to Basta River flooding, with take-offs and landings halted on Wednesday morning after floodwaters overwhelmed the taxiway and parking area. The airport's information officer, Yubraj Bhandari, announced that flights will resume after the floodwaters recede and the damaged areas are evacuated. Technical evaluations are already ongoing to guarantee that the airport can resume operations as soon as the weather improves.
In addition to the airport problems, torrential rains have displaced numerous households throughout Biratnagar Municipality and surrounding districts. The continuing rain has caused around 36 households in Biratnagar Municipality and Budhiganga Rural Municipality to flee their homes. Another ten households in Biratnagar Municipality-8 have been relocated when flooding from the Singhia River flooded their neighborhood. Authorities have given these families with temporary refuge in secure areas.
Further displacement has been reported in Biratnagar Metropolitan City-19, where 10 families from Saradkar tole have been affected by floodwaters, seeking refuge at Shree Shivaji High School. Similarly, 16 families in Shanti Chowk, Budhiganga Rural Municipality-1 and Gairi Tole, have been displaced and are currently staying with neighbors due to flooding. Rescue efforts are ongoing in Bakhari, Biratnagar Municipality-12, where floodwaters from the Kesalia River have impacted residential areas and police facilities.
The District Police Office in Morang reported that floodwaters have also affected their barracks and cooking areas in Hatkhola, Biratnagar-8, underscoring the widespread impact of the flooding in the region.
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