Landslide obstructs Dang-Salyan road section

The Dang-Salyan road section along the Rapti Highway has been obstructed due to a landslide triggered by a heavy rainfall at Kapurkot, the border point of Dang and Salyan districts. 

Tankeshwor Bhattarai, Chief at the Kapurkot Police Post, said that vehicular movement along the route has been completely obstructed from early morning today due to a landslide.  

Bhattarai said that the landslide occurred at Kapurkot Rural Municipality-3 in Salyan district and added that efforts are underway to clear the debris.. 

People have been told to use alternative routes and apply precautions in the wake of road obstruction and landslides.

Deep tube well repairs, grid upgrades recommended to end water woes in Madhes

A task force formed by the government to address the water scarcity crisis in the Madhes Province has suggested 10 urgent measures to ease the situation and lift the province out of the crisis.

One major suggestion given by the task force is the repair of 169 defunct deep tube well systems across eight districts of the province—Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa. “Repairing these systems, which would cost around Rs 260m, could restore irrigation to 5,135 hectares of farmland within 15 days,” it added.

Among these, 30 tube wells need new transformers, 28 require new pumps or panel boards, 33 need distribution system upgrades and 28 need new well construction. Additionally, electrification is required in 14 systems, while nine systems are not receiving power supply due to pending electricity bills. Likewise, 12 systems are suffering several other problems, while in seven areas shallow wells are performing adequately, reducing the need for deep tube well irrigation.

Another recommendation of the task force is to bring into operation 220 tube wells that have been constructed in the past two years but lack water distribution infrastructure. “With an estimated cost of Rs 749m, these systems could irrigate 2,640 hectares within 18 days. Fully equipping these systems would facilitate irrigation in up to 6,600 hectares and would cost an estimated Rs 1.43bn over four months,” it added.

The task force has also proposed integrated use of surface and groundwater systems, especially in areas like Saptari and Sarlahi, where major canal systems have insufficient flow. “Fifty new pumping systems could be installed to bring irrigation to 7,500 hectares at a cost of Rs 100m. Additionally, 150 high-capacity deep tube wells are recommended for areas where water scarcity is severe. These could irrigate 22,500 hectares within two months,” it added.

Likewise, the taskforce has urged the government to take necessary security measures to prevent transformer theft, ensure stable electricity supply, preserve ponds and small reservoirs, recharge groundwater, and conserve the Chure and Bhabar regions. 

According to the task force, more than half of the region’s 169 deep tube wells are non-operational due to different reasons like missing pumps, stolen transformers, lack of maintenance and dried canals. It added that low voltage, defunct tube wells and dried-out canals have pushed the irrigation system in the province to the brink of collapse.

A long spell of drought forced the government to declare eight districts of Madhesh Province as crisis-hit areas on July 23. Only about half of the paddy fields have been planted in the province, which averages 1.3m metric tons annually, due to insufficient water.

 

 

Very heavy rainfall likely in some provinces today

Currently the monsoon wind has its impacts across the country with the low-pressure line of the monsoon slightly north from its average position, the Meteorological Forecasting Division mentioned. 

The Division stated that the weather is likely to remain mostly cloudy throughout the country today. 

Moderate rain is likely to occur at some places of Koshi Province and Madhesh Province, and at many places in the remaining provinces. 

It said there are chances of heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places of Lumbini Province and Sudurpaschim Province, and at one or two places of Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province.

Likewise, there will be cloudy weather patterns throughout the country tonight. 

Moderate rain is likely to occur at many places of Lumbini Province, Karnali Province and Sudurpaschim Province, and at some places in the remaining provinces, the Division shared. 

Chances of heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places of Lumbini Province and Sudurpaschim Province are likely tonight.

 

Water flow measured at 179,000 cusecs in Saptakoshi River

As the eastern hilly and Tarai districts received continuous rainfall for the past couple of days, the water flow in the Saptakoshi River has substantially increased. The water level of the river has been inconsistent since early morning on Monday. 

Superintendent of the Armed Police Force, Nepal, Nirmal Thapa shared that water flow in the river was recorded at 179,740 cusecs per second at 10 pm on Monday and 19 doors out of 56 of the Koshi Barrage have been opened.  

Earlier on Monday morning and late evening, the officials measured the water flow at around 175,000 cusecs per second. 

A red alert has been issued to the public after the Koshi River recorded more than 150,000 cusecs of water flow per second. 

 

 

Rwanda reached deal with US to take in up to 250 migrants, government says

The United States and Rwanda have agreed for the African country to accept up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S., the spokesperson for the Rwandan government and an official told Reuters, as President Donald Trump's administration takes a hardline approach toward immigration, Reuters reported.

The agreement, first reported by Reuters, was signed by U.S. and Rwandan officials in Kigali in June, said the Rwandan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that Washington had already sent an initial list of 10 people to be vetted.

"Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation," said the spokesperson for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo, according to Reuters.

Swiss eye 'more attractive' offer for Trump after tariff shock

Switzerland said on Monday it was ready to make a better offer to the United States to avoid steep tariffs that have shocked the country, AFP reported.

The Alpine nation faces a 39-percent duty, one of the highest among the dozens of economies that will be hit by new tariffs expected to come into force from Thursday.

The Swiss stock market tumbled by more than two percent when it opened on Monday before paring its losses later in the day, ending the day down just 0.15 percent. It was closed for a national holiday when Trump unveiled the tariffs on Friday, according to AFP.

More Gazans die seeking aid and from hunger, as burial shrouds in short supply

At least 40 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes on Gaza, including 10 seeking aid, health authorities said on August 4, adding that another five had died of starvation in what humanitarian agencies warn may be an unfolding famine, Reuters reported.

The 10 died in two separate incidents near aid sites belonging to the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in central and southern Gaza, local medics said. The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in the enclave since the GHF began operating in May 2025, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites.

"Everyone who goes there, comes back either with a bag of flour or carried back (on a wooden stretcher) as a martyr, or injured. No one comes back safe," said 40-year-old Palestinian Bilal Thari, according to Reuters.

Canada airdrops aid into Gaza, says Israel violating international law

Canada said on Monday it delivered humanitarian assistance through airdrops to Gaza, which has been under a devastating Israeli military assault for almost 22 months, with Ottawa again accusing Israel of violating international law, Reuters reported.

"The (Canadian Armed Forces) employed a CC-130J Hercules aircraft to conduct an airdrop of critical humanitarian aid in support of Global Affairs Canada into the Gaza Strip. The air drop consisted of 21,600 pounds of aid," the Canadian government said in a statement.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that it was Canadian Armed Forces' first humanitarian airdrop over Gaza using their own aircraft, according to Reuters.