Amid torrential rains in the hilly terrain of Nepal's Sunsari district, the water level in the Kosi River is flowing above the danger mark, affecting the villages in the area. The downpour has also disrupted the wildlife and forced animals to move to safer areas.
In a viral video, a parade of elephants is seen running towards the nearby villages and cities to escape the water after rains brought their lives to a standstill. In the clip, over a dozen elephants are seen moving towards safer areas in the Sunsari district, while the locals capture the moment on their mobile phones.
The extreme rainfall in parts of Nepal over the past few days has severely affected several villages in Sunsari.
With the wild animals coming out to seek shelter in nearby villages, the District Magistrate of Sunsari has advised people to remain cautious about the situation.
The Kosi River, also known as Saptakoshi in the country, flows through the Sunsari district of Nepal. It also covers nearly half a dozen districts in the Indian state of Bihar.
As the water level of the river reached the danger level, the officials opened all 56 sluice gates of the Koshi barrage, The Himalayan Times reported.
On Saturday, the water level in the river was measured at 381,840 cusecs per second at 7 AM, while it further increased in the next few hours.
As per the report, the water level was being continuously monitored due to the downpours in the eastern region in the last few days.
The water level has now crossed the danger point, the Saptakosi Water Measurement Center said. As a result, this might lead to flooding in several areas of Udayapur and Sunsari. In Sunsari, the Chief District Officer, Sunsari Ramchandra Tiwari, asked those living near the coastal areas to remain alert.
'Flood alert'
In the wake of heavy rainfall, Nepal's Department of Flood Forecasting Division has issued a flood alert for several areas in the country, warning people to exercise caution, news agency ANI reported.
The affected areas include the west of Arun Basin (Sankhuwasabha District) and Banganga (Kapilvastu District). It also includes Arun, Dudhkoshi, Sunkoshi, Bagmati, Narayani, Tinau, Banganga and their tributaries, read an official release.
"A significant flood warning for the next 24 hours is in effect for the rivers west of the Arun Basin until Banganga Basin. Almost all monitored rivers in the region have exceeded warning levels, with many approaching critical danger levels," it said.
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