Couple dies as truck hits bullock cart in Kailali
A couple died when a truck hit a bullock cart they were travelling on at Bajaipur in Kailari Rural Municipality-5, Kailali on Wednesday.
DSP Yogendra Timilsina of the District Police Office, Kailali said that the deceased have been identified as 60-year-old Kalsu Chaudhary and his 70-year-old wife Setanu Chaudhary.
According to him, the Chaudhary couple, who sustained serious injuries when the truck Na 6 Kha 778 hit the cart from behind last night, were rushed to the Seti Provincial Hospital in Dhangadhi, where both of them died during the course of treatment, police reported.
DSP Timilsina shared that both oxen pulling the cart also died after being hit by the truck.
Police said that they have impounded the truck and arrested its driver for investigation.
Further investigation into the accident is underway, police said.
Rainfall likely in Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces
The weather will remain generally cloudy in the hilly and mountainous regions of Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces while the weather in the remaining areas will be partly cloudy.
According to the Weather Forecasting Division, there is a possibility of moderate rain and snowfall with thunder, lightning, and hail at some places in the hilly and mountainous regions of Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, at a few places in the hilly and mountainous regions of Lumbini and Gandaki Provinces, and at one or two places in the hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces as well as the Tarai region of Sudurpashchim Province.
Meteorological Analysis by the Divisions states that currently Nepal is under the partial influence of a westerly low-pressure system and local winds.
KMC rescues nearly 3,000 street people in eight years
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has rescued a total of 2,919 homeless people living in the street in the past eight years, officials said.
The KMC began collaborating with the Manav Sewa Ashram on November 17, 2017 to rescue, manage and rehabilitate helpless street dwellers.
Ramji Adhikari, Chairperson of the Ashram, shared that of those rescued, 315 have died.
Adhikari added that 713 rescued people were reunited with their families, while 336 have been reintegrated into their communities.
Currently, 268 people rescued from KMC streets are sheltering in the Ashram, he added.
Likewise, Sunita Dangol, Acting Mayor of KMC, said that the rescue program was being carried out as a part of the preparation to declare the city 'street people-free'.
Dangol stressed that making such a declaration sustainable would require coordinated legal, administrative and practical measures.
Similarly, Bishnu Prasad Joshi, Chief of City Police Force, mentioned that efforts to identify and bring homeless people to Ashram continue.
He shared that the KMC has already provided the Ashram with over Rs 28.73 million along with a dedicated vehicle during this period.
Ashram's Chairperson Adhikari informed that the Ashram coordinates identification, recommendation and management of those left stranded in the street.
He also added that people's representatives, KMC's administrative staff, City Police Force among others are actively coordinating efforts to rescue stranded street people.
43 places of Narayangadh-Muglin road at risk of landslide
A total of 43 places along Narayangadh-Muglin road section have been identified as at risk of landslides, according to a recent study conducted by the Road Division Office, Bharatpur.
The study found that eight locations are at high risk, 22 at moderate risk, and 13 at low risk. Among them, Tuin Khola has been categorized as a particularly high-risk area.
Office engineer Arjun Ghimire shared that Kali Khola and Namsi Khola, along with Tuin Khola, are among the most vulnerable areas of this 33.25 km-road section.
Ghimire added that other high-risk areas include the stretch between Tuin Khola and Chisenji, two locations at Char Kilo, Mauri Khola and Seti Dobhan.
He explained, "Falling rocks are a major problem between Tuin Khola and Chisenji while areas near Tuin, Kali, and Namsi rivers are highly prone to landslides."
Ghimire further mentioned that of the two locations at Char Kilo, one faces landslide risks and the other is vulnerable to mudflows. Mauri Khola and Seti Dobhan face high risk of debris-filled landslides.
Additional areas identified as risk-prone include Sohra Kilo, Satra Kilo, Dumre Khola and Simaltal. These areas have been under the threat of landslides since last year.
Narayan Lamichhane, Chief of the Road Division Office, Bharatpur, said that they have already submitted a procurement master plan to the Department of Roads to mitigate landslide risks in the Tuin, Kali, and Namsi rivers while the design process is in its final stage.
He shared that Rs 250 million has been allocated from the disaster management funds to implement disaster risk reduction measures in high-risk areas, with an additional Rs 200 million has been set aside for other vulnerable sections along the road.
According to Lamichhane, a budget of Rs 200 million has been allocated for landslide prevention in other areas as well.
Stating that preparations have been made for a tender for landslide prevention works, he said the mapping work is complete, and the tender will be called in a few days.
Landslide prevention and mitigation work will be carried out in risky areas before the monsoon, he added.
The Office has said that it has made the necessary preparations as roads may be at risk of landslides with the onset of the rainy season.
A few years ago, the earth on the slope above the road was cut during road expansion.
The road traffic is interrupted during the rainy season when the debris from the slope cut during the road expansion and landslides from new areas fall on the road.
More than 10,000 vehicles pass daily along this road. This road is considered a lifeline for the federal capital, Kathmandu.



