Flood alert issued in Nepal, heavy rains expected for next 2 days in Kathmandu

Authorities here on Monday issued a flood alert in view of the rise in the water level of rivers due to heavy rains since the last two days.

Flood Forecasting Section (FFS) of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology here issued a flood alert, specifically in major river basins and their tributaries inside Kathmandu valley.

The department has also predicted continuous rainfall for the next two days, The Himalayan Times reported.

According to a flood forecast bulletin issued by the FFS, the water level is expected to rise in major river basins of Bagmati.

It is also likely that the water level will rise above the 'alert level' this evening causing flash floods, the weather department added.

Officials have urged the people to stay alert as waste accumulated in the rivers during the dry season could increase the flooding.

"People need remain on high alert during early monsoon in urban areas like Kathmandu valley where waste dumped into the rivers might block their free flow triggering floods," said Binod Parajuli, a hydrologist.

The Kathmandu valley in the last 24 hours experienced approximately 72 millimetres of rainfall.

The six hours of incessant rainfall, yesterday, had inundated the valley's northwestern parts, including the Tarai region and Dharmasthali.