Kathmandu— A landslide early this morning completely blocked a section of the Siddhartha highway in Palpa district, Nepal, disrupting travel between the Tarai plains and hilly regions. The slide occurred approximately 100 meters north of the Siddhababa tunnel entrance at Tinau rural municipality-3, impacting the crucial Palpa-Butwal road section. Authorities are working to clear the debris, but ongoing landslides continue to hamper efforts, leaving vehicles stranded and passengers advised to seek safe shelter.

Highway Disruption

The landslide began around 7:00 am local time, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhim Lal Bhattarai of the District Police Office. The obstruction has halted all vehicular movement along the highway, affecting travel to and from several districts including Palpa, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Kaski, Parbat, Myagdi, Mustang, and Baglung.

Ongoing Challenges

Despite initial efforts to clear the landslide debris, continued landslides in the area are complicating the situation and delaying the resumption of traffic. Authorities have not yet provided an estimate for when the highway will reopen.

Safety Advisory

The Police Administration has issued a request urging individuals to avoid unnecessary travel through the affected areas. Passengers and drivers currently stranded along the highway have been advised to remain in safe locations until clearance operations are complete.

Efforts to clear the highway continue, but the timeline for reopening remains uncertain due to ongoing landslide activity.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.