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Vehicular movement along the Kanti Highway has been obstructed following a landslide at Gangate area in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-8 of Makawanpur district today.

Spokesperson of the District Police Office and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pushkar Bogati said the traffic was closed after the landslide occurred at 5 this evening. 

Bogati shared that efforts are on to clear the landslide debris  and a team of police personnel from the Area Police Office in Thingan has been deployed.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM) has called for adopting high alertness as there is a possibility of human and material damage due to high winds accompanied by hailstone since the afternoon today particularly in some districts in the Tarai.

The public is urged to avoid going outside unnecessarily and to take necessary precautions to reduce potential damage that may be caused by the storm. 

Disaster management expert Dr Dharmaraj Upreti advised the general public to take necessary precautions, stating that damage from natural disasters is increasing in Nepal due to ignoring the weather alert.

He urged not to drive vehicles during storms and hail, not to sit near trees and electric poles, and to avoid going outside unnecessarily.

According to the Department, there is a possibility of moderate rain and snowfall with thunder, hail, and storms in many places of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces, some hilly and mountainous areas of Koshi province including in Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces, and a few places in the Tarai of Bagmati, Madhesh, and Koshi Provinces towards the afternoon today.

Department spokesperson Bibhuti Pokharel said that in the afternoon strong winds would particularly blow in the Tarai region and this would last for two to three hours, urging special precautions to be taken.

According to spokesperson Pokharel, light rain along with thunder and lightning is taking place in some districts of the Sudurpaschim, Karnali and Lumbini Provinces at present also. 

It is necessary to adopt alertness as this system is moving north-eastwards. 

"There is a possibility of strong winds (around 50–60 km/h) in the Tarai region of Madhesh Province as well as in Koshi and Lumbini Provinces. Due to this, there is a risk of trees falling, weak structures and roofs being blown off, and disruption of electricity and communication services, so it is necessary to take necessary measures and precautions to avoid its impact," she said.

According to spokesperson Pokhrel, there is a possibility of heavy rain/snow in one or two places in the hilly and mountainous areas of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces this afternoon. 

The Department stated that Nepal is currently under the influence of a western low-pressure system and local winds.

Spokesperson Pokharel said the impact of the storm in the Kathmandu Valley would be low. 

She mentioned that although it would have a greater impact in the Tarai region, there is no need to panic, but it is necessary to take precautions.

A Nepali national has been arrested in the Strait of Hormuz, the Foreign Ministry stated. 

Speaking at a press conference held on Friday, Ramkaji Khadka, Head of the West Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Amrit Jha, was among the crew members of a ship that was seized by the Iranian authorities in Hormuz. 

It has been learnt that the Iranian authorities had reportedly taken the entire crew into custody. 

The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. 

Iran shut down imports from the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israel attacked Iran.

A powerful storm occurred on March 16 damaged the bananas worth more than Rs 40 million in Chitwan district.

According to Chief of National Agriculture Modernization Programme Implementation Unit, Chitwan, Mahesh Regmi, storm-affected banana farms were monitored on Wednesday and Thursday.  

A total of 20 storm-affected banana farms were monitored. 

The storm caused huge damages in banana cultivation at ward no 7 and 23 of Bharatpur metropolitan city, ward no 5, 12 and 14 of Ratnanagar municipality, ward no 13 of Khairahani municipality and ward no 2 to 5 of Kalika municipality.  

Regmi added that up to 88 percent of bananas were damaged in some farms, adding that overall the storm had caused 43.35 per cent damage to bananas. 

Banana is cultivated in 2,000 hectares in Chitwan.

Similarly, Coordinator of Banana Super Zone, Chitwan, Bishnu Hari said farmers engaged in commercial banana cultivation have been hit hard as they did not get compensation on time.

He mentioned that the farmers have not yet received last year's compensation and they are still unknown when they would get the compensation.

Coordinator Bishnu Hari opined that the farmers in the district have submitted applications to insurance companies demanding Rs 40 million as compensation so far.  

It will take time to get accurate data of losses caused by the storm as more applications are being received and some of the farmers have no insurance for banana cultivation, he added.

Seven hundred farmers are involved in commercial banana cultivation in the district.