Ratu river embankment breaches in three places, Jaleshwar flooded, paddy damaged

In Mahottari, the embankment of the Ratu river breached in three places, leaving the district headquarters, Jaleshwar, flooded.

The dam broke on Tuesday near Banchauri in Balawa Municipality and near Gorigama and Madai settlement in Mahottari Rural Municipality. Water that flowed out from the breach entered the headquarters market from Wednesday evening.

With no drainage system in place, the water kept accumulating, and by Thursday the market area was fully submerged. Water has filled the area from the municipality chowk in Jaleshwar-1 to the Hatiya area. Local resident Binod Paswan of Jaleshwar-1 said vehicles could no longer run on the flooded roads and even walking had become difficult.

The flood has eroded farmland in Madai and Gorigama. In Ratbara, Madai and Gorigama of Mahottari Rural Municipality, and in Chhotka Ratbara, Bajrahi and Dhabauli of Jaleshwar Municipality, paddy that was about to ripen has fallen and been destroyed.

According to farmer Bhola Mahato of Gorigama in Mahottari-6, the embankment breaches at the same spots almost every year; the dam at Banchauri also broke last year. Mahato said the flood struck right when the paddy was earing, causing a complete loss.

Chief District Officer Indradev Yadav said repair work had begun immediately at the breached sections, and that efforts were also underway to open a drainage outlet from the tail end of Jaleshwar.