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Vehicular movement along the Kanti highway (Hetauda-Kathmandu) has been obstructed due to a rockslide. The rockslide that occurred at Ghattepakha of Bakaiya Municipality-11 blocked the roadway, disrupting traffic.

Spokesperson at District Police Office, Makwanpur, Pushkar Bogati, informed that currently, efforts were on to clear the obstruction. The rocks are being removed from the road with the use of a dozer.

Meanwhile, the Hetauda-Kathmandu roadway via Dakshinkali is yet to resume. The landslide occurred at Jyamire of Indrasarobar Rural Municipality-3 causing the disruption since Saturday evening.

Bogati further said that with the obstruction of roadways linking Kathmandu to Hetauda, the passengers are stranded along the roadway.

The authorities concerned are working to clear the obstruction.

Police have urged all concerned to use alternative routes till roads are maintained.

The legal practitioners and intellectuals have said that if the election to the House of Representatives (HoR) is not held on March 5, restoration of HoR is imperative.

During an interaction organized by the Democratic Thoughts Society on Saturday, the speakers, however, argued that the political parties must not dodge the election once the atmosphere is prepared.  The country must not be left in indecision and political instability for long if the election is not held on time, they added.

They further said it was an unprecedented uprising last September spearheaded by the Gen Z youths. The country suffered irreparable loss. So, those involved in the violence must be brought to book. The Gen Z protest was infiltrated that caused massive damage. It requires proper investigation.

On the occasion, senior advocates Harihar Dahal and Upendra Keshari Neupane said election to HoR must be made the first priority. If the election is eluded, the HoR needs reinstatement, they underlined.

Former Chairman of the Society, Dr Kedar Narsing KC, said the government was yet to prepare the atmosphere for the election with proper peace and security. Winning political trust by the government is equally imperative, he added.

Similarly, Society's Chairman Kul Chandra Wagle expressed worry over the democracy Nepalis got after a huge struggle and sacrifice. All Nepalis should be united for creating an atmosphere of trust and resolving political crises.

Also speaking on the occasion were Chairman of Nepal Medical Association, Dr Anil Karki, and Chairman of Democratic Lawyers' Association, Sitaram KC. They wondered why the political parties were trying to avoid an election citing the security situation.

Nepal witnessed as many as 4,597 disaster-related incidents in the last six-and-half months.

The incidents were recorded since the New Year, 2082. A total of 335 persons lost lives in the disasters.

Spokesperson at National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Shanti Mahat, informed that 41 persons had gone missing while 1,264 were injured in the landslides and floods during this period.

NDRRMA documented 316 floods where 37 lost lives, while 27 persons went missing. Similarly, 67 persons were killed in 550 landslides.

Other incidents causing human and physical loss are lightning, snakebite, animal attack, fire, avalanche and storm.

The Montha cyclone originated from the Bay of Bengal is gradually weakening. However, clear weather is awaited.

The cyclone had impacted the weather across the country.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted light rainfall and snowfall in few places of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces. Similarly, the hilly region will be partly cloudy.

Both the westerly wind and the low-pressure belt formed in the Arabian Sea have a strong impact in our system at present.

It will be generally cloudy in Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces during the day, while some hilly regions and Madhes Province will be partly cloudy.

Remaining places are predicted to have clear weather.

Nepal is currently experiencing the influence of western winds and a low-pressure system formed in the Arabian Sea.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division stated that the Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces will generally be cloudy, while the remaining provinces will have partly cloud cover.

This afternoon, a few places in Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces, some places in Koshi and Madhesh Provinces, and one or two places in Karnali Province are likely to receive light rain.

The Division has indicated that a few places in the high hill and mountainous areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces may receive moderate snowfall, and one or two places in the high hill and mountainous areas of Karnali Province may experience light snowfall.

Tonight, Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces will generally be cloudy, while the remaining provinces will have partly cloudy skies.

A few places in the hilly and mountainous areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces are likely to experience light rain or snowfall.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has called for support and cooperation from all sides to make the election scheduled for March 5 a success.

Prime Minister Karki held a discussion with the editors of several media at the PM residence, Baluwatar, on Friday regarding the country's contemporary political affairs, elections preparation, and government's performance, the PM secretariat informed.

Sharing that the government has put all-out efforts to create atmosphere for the election, and its positive results are on anvil, PM Karki informed that consultations were held with Gen Z groups and political parties in the meantime to that end.

Prime Minister Karki stated that she intended to ensure the success of the elections by gaining massive trust and hand over the new government before her exit.

Highlighting the government's prime objective to maintain good governance and conduct elections, the Head of the Government said the March 5 elections would be accomplished, and executive power would be transferred by encouraging the political parties to enthusiastically participate in elections rather than restricting them.

She took the leadership of the government in a challenging situation, Prime Minister Karki said, adding she would, however, not be scared of criticism.

Finance Minister Rameshwor Prasad Khanal, Minister for Energy, Water Resources, Irrigation, Kulman Ghising, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Law Minister Anil Kumar Sinha and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel attended the meeting.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 2, 700 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 239, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 236, 300 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 30 and is being traded at Rs 3, 600 per tola today.

Torrential rain since Thursday has obstructed the Ilam-Rajduwali road section along the Mechi Highway.

Chief District Officer Sunita Nepal said that vehicular movement has been prohibited on the section due to road breakdown at various locations.

Vehicles are completely banned on the road until further notice, she said.

The Tilkeni-Simalgola-Shilpur road, an alternative route to the Mechi Highway, is also blocked due to rain and landslides.

The Mechi Corridor (Kechana-Kanchenjunga road) has been closed since early October last year after its concrete bridge at Maikhola in Belase collapsed.

With all roads connecting Ilam headquarters to Jhapa blocked, road connectivity between Ilam and Jhapa has been severed.

Meanwhile, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the cyclone 'Montha' developed in the Bay of Bengal is expected to affect the weather in various areas, including Ilam in Koshi Province from October 30 to November 1.