Kaudena’s Shivnagar Village Turns into an Island, 1,600 Houses Submerged in Sarlahi

The Shivnagar settlement of Kaudena Rural Municipality–7 in Sarlahi District has been completely isolated after floodwaters from the Lakhandeyi River entered the area from all directions, turning the entire village into an island.

Continuous rainfall for the past two days has caused severe flooding, leaving local residents stranded. The flood has cut off all road connections with nearby settlements, while power and communication lines have also been disrupted. Roads in and around the village have been washed away.

“There’s no way to leave or enter the village right now,” said Raji Ahmad, a local resident. “There are over 300 households here, and except for about 20–25 houses in the center, every home is underwater.”

Residents have taken refuge in local schools and madrasas after their homes were submerged. Food shortages have become a growing concern as stored grains and clothes were destroyed in floodwater.

Villagers are now waiting for relief assistance, but access roads remain underwater, preventing aid workers from entering. Locals are surviving on dry food and water. The flood struck around 8–9 PM on Saturday night, Ahmad added, noting that casualties were avoided because residents were alert. “Had the flood hit at midnight, the damage could have been far worse,” he said.

Floodwaters have also destroyed standing paddy crops and household belongings, leaving villagers anxious about their livelihood.

Over 1,600 Homes Flooded Across Sarlahi District

According to the District Police Office, Sarlahi, more than 1,619 houses have been submerged across different areas due to flooding in the Bagmati and Lakhandeyi Rivers following continuous rainfall.

The Bagmati River overflowed, inundating around 700 houses in Laxmipur (Balara Municipality–3), 50 houses in Chhanki Tole (Ward 1), and 150 houses in Ward 5.

In Bhadars, Malangawa Municipality–5, floodwaters from the Lakhandeyi River damaged 200 homes, while 350–400 houses were submerged in Shivnagar of Kaudena–7, police confirmed.

In Padariya, Chakraghatta Rural Municipality–5, about 20 mud houses were completely destroyed, and 40 homes were flooded in Chinimill area of Hariban Municipality due to poor drainage.

Similarly, 15 homes were submerged in Domtol, Barahathawa Municipality–7, after floodwaters from the Soti River entered the area. The Jhimm River also flooded 14 homes in Agarwa, Kabilasi Municipality–8, while 40 houses were inundated in Kaudena Wards 3 and 5.

Postal Highway Washed Away by Floodwaters

Flooding from the Lakhandeyi River in Kaudena–3 has swept away a section of the Postal Highway (Hulaki Road), cutting off western Sarlahi from the district headquarters in Malangawa.

As a result, road connectivity to Godaita, Balara, Bishnu, Ramnagar, Dhankaul, and Basbariya Rural Municipalities has been completely disrupted. Electric poles were washed away at several points, causing power outages in flood-hit areas.

Flooding in the Jhimm River also submerged the district’s main border checkpoint with India, halting cross-border transport. Vehicles traveling between Nepal and India are stranded at the border area.

According to Chief District Officer (CDO) Tulsi Bahadur Shrestha, rainfall has now stopped, and river water levels are gradually receding. “The flood has caused heavy losses in agriculture and fish farming, but there has been no human casualty,” he confirmed.

The Postal Highway sustained about one meter of structural damage, officials said.