15 houses damaged as floodwaters enter Kagbeni settlement

POKHARA: A devastating flood in Kagkhola River wreaked havoc in Kagbeni – the gateway to Upper Mustang and the revered Muktinath Temple in Mustang district.

The Kagkhola River courses downstream from the renowned Muktinath Temple and meets the Kaligandaki River near the Kagbeni settlement.

Rinjin Gurung, the chairman of Baragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality, said that the flood’ has damaged 15 houses/hotels, a police station, an under-construction motorable bridge on the Jomsom-Korala road, a pedestrian bridge, three electricity poles and swept away two vehicles. “There was no loss of life as we had evacuated all the houses before the floodwaters reached the village,” Gurung said. “A Dharmashala (public inn) lies buried under the debris.”

Mustang Chief District Officer Anup KC said the Nepal Army, Armed Police, and Nepal Police, along with elected representatives are involved in rescue works.”The flood has severed the sole road connection to Upper Mustang – a popular trekking destination that borders Tibet, China.”

Kagbeni is the administrative center for the rural municipality and also a revered pilgrimage destination.