Jomsom-Korala road completely blocked by landslide, heavy snowfall

Mustang: The Jomsom-Korala road has been completely blocked following incessant rainfall and heavy snowfall since Saturday night, disrupting road connectivity and cross-border trade through the Korala border point.

Several sections of the road from Kavre Bhir on the Myagdi-Mustang border to the Korala border have been disrupted by landslides and falling rocks, while heavy snowfall in the Korala Pass area in Upper Mustang has brought vehicular movement to a grinding halt, according to the District Police Office (DPO), Mustang.

Santosh Basyal, Police Inspector at DPO, Mustang, said that landslides and large rocks have blocked the road at Kavre Bhir and several locations in Ghansa of Thasang rural municipality-4. Landslides have also obstructed the road near Lower Ghansa and the Ghansa check post, Basyal added.

Likewise, a flash flood near the apple orchard of the Temperate Horticulture Development Centre at Marpha in Gharpajhong rural municipality-4 has also disrupted the road, informed Mohan Singh Laalchan, Chairperson of the rural municipality.

Chairperson Laalchan shared that efforts were underway to clear the road using an excavator and a dozer.

Similarly, Inspector Basyal mentioned that the Jomsom-Panda Khola section leading to Korala border point has been blocked by a rain-triggered landslide, while the road from Kagbeni to Chaile in Baragung Muktichhetra rural municipality-3 has also been obstructed at several points.

Also, a debris-laden flood at Ghyakar Khola near Mustang Gate has completely damaged the road track. Around half a dozen landslides between Kagbeni and Chaile have damaged road infrastructure, he added.

Heavy snowfall has further disrupted movement in the Korala and Lo Manthang areas, said Prakash Dhital, Police Inspector of the Armed Police Force (APF) and In-Charge of Border Outpost of the APF. More than 200 containers have been stranded at the Mustang Customs yard, affecting Nepal-China trade. More than a foot of snow has accumulated in the Korala area, Dhital.

Meanwhile, electricity supply across Mustang district has been disrupted after floodwaters entered a 240-kilowatt hydropower plant at Chokhopani. The 33-kV transmission line from Dana in Myagdi to Kowang was also disconnected due to the heavy rain.

Moreover, heavy rainfall has disrupted Myagdi section of Beni-Jomson road in several points, according to Indra Singh Sherchan, Supervisor at the Beni-Jomsom-Korala Road Project.

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