Incessant heavy rain on September 9 night caused about six road blocks across the country.

In Sarpang, the rain damaged the vented crossway about two kilometers away from Sarpang.

Gelephu’s Department of Roads’ (DoR) chief engineer, CB Mongar said that the crossway collapsed around 7:30 in the morning. “It was due to heavy rainfall which caused Akhaokhola to swell causing a flashflood.”

Apart from the damage to the vented crossway, minor impacts have been reported and restoration works are ongoing, he said.

He said that an alternate route, that is more like a diversion had been created for the commuters to travel through the area within an hour. “Works at Ossey also got interrupted and the condition had now worsened. We cannot even go near the hillock at the moment because the whole area has been sliding.”

Due to the rain, no work could be done at the moment. “Only when the rain stops can we work on repairing the damages.”

Following the weather forecast, he said that they could create a post diversion in advance on September 9, which was helpful.

He said that the Dovan Gewog Centre road in Sarpang, has also been affected due to the rain. 

Trongsa’s DoR official, Ugyen Dorji said it took a day to clear the roadblock near Reutala, about 84km away from Trongsa. “Reutala is a slide prone area and whenever there is heavy rain, the road gets blocked.”   

He said that there were several blocks that have been cleared yesterday. “The block at Reutala was cleared around 4:30pm yesterday.” 

Blocks have also been reported around three places along the Yangbari-Daksa Gewog Centre road in Trongsa, he said.

DoR official at Lingmethang, Mongar said the Gyelposhing-Nganglam highway is blocked at five places. “Additional machines have been deployed at the area. We hope to clear the block by today evening.”

Tingtibi’s DoR official in Zhemgang, Karma Dorji said there is no major roadblock in the locality although few minor blocks were reported earlier yesterday. “Minor blocks in Panbang were cleared within an hour.”

No blocks had been reported in Samdrupjongkhar and Trashigang area as of yesterday evening.

Meanwhile, deputy chief of National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Tayba B Tamang said September is normally dry although it is still a monsoon month. “Active monsoon still persists this time.”

He said that the heavy rain was due to the stronger southwesterly wind blowing from the Bay of Bengal.

According to NCHM and weather forecast for the next 72 hours, heavy rainfall is expected at southern and eastern parts of the country. “Moderate to light rainfall is also expected in isolated places of central, western and northern parts of the country.”

NCHM had also issued a rainfall advisory on September 8 around 4pm for September 9-11.

Rinchen Zangmo 

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