Nepal floods disrupt India-Nepal trade, 16-km truck queue forms at Sonauli

Flash floods in Nepal have disrupted cross-border trade with India, with damaged and flooded roads affecting the movement of cargo vehicles through the Sonauli border in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

A queue of around 16 km of cargo vehicles has formed on the Indian side of the Sonauli border as trucks wait to enter Nepal. Vehicles carrying goods to Kathmandu and other parts of the country are facing delays as traffic movement remains affected on several routes.

The queue has stretched towards Nautanwa, raising concerns over traffic congestion on the national highway. Police and security personnel have been deployed to regulate traffic and monitor the border situation.

Circle Officer Basant Singh said surveillance at the Sonauli border had been intensified and police station heads in the border areas had been directed to remain alert.

Officials said the disruption could worsen if road connectivity in Nepal is not restored soon, potentially affecting the movement and supply of essential goods between the two countries.

The floods have also affected people from Maharajganj who work in Nepal.

Raj Kumar Gautam, a resident of Jagarnathpur village, was returning to India after escaping the flood-hit areas of Kathmandu, where he had been working as a furniture worker for nearly a year.

Gautam told his family that the situation in Nepal was chaotic, with several families affected and people struggling to move to safer areas. His daughter Ankita said she spoke to him around 4 pm on Thursday, when he informed her that he was returning home by bus through Bihar.

Gautam is the sole earning member of his family and supports the education and livelihood of his children.

Meanwhile, authorities in neighbouring Kushinagar have stepped up vigilance along the 17.5-km embankment between Narwajot and Ahirauli following the floods.

Revenue, police and flood-control teams are monitoring vulnerable stretches, while additional personnel have been deployed in riverside villages. Additional District Magistrate Vaibhav Mishra said surveillance had been intensified in areas considered vulnerable to flooding.

Residents near Chhitauni and Valmikinagar reported seeing household items, including a gas cylinder, bed and refrigerator, being swept away by strong currents. Some residents managed to retrieve the items from the water.

National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams remain deployed in affected villages, while Provincial Armed Constabulary and water police personnel have also been placed on alert.

Authorities are continuing to monitor smaller seasonal rivers and water channels in the region amid concerns over further flooding.