Kathmandu: A massive landslide triggered by continuous rainfall has completely blocked the Araniko Highway at Kodari in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2, halting all movement and effectively shutting down the Tatopani border crossing with China.
The landslide occurred around 5 a.m. on Wednesday in the Iku area, a known landslide-prone zone, dumping large amounts of debris onto the highway.
According to Inspector Jagat Bahadur Rai of the Kodari Area Police Office, the scale of the landslide has rendered travel and transportation impossible. “The road is entirely obstructed, and the volume of debris is massive,” he said.
Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality Chair Pasangnurpu Sherpa confirmed that the landslide remains active, making immediate clearance efforts dangerous and currently unworkable. “The ground is still unstable, and we cannot begin any work until the activity stops,” he stated.
The Iku section has been flagged as high-risk for years, with the danger further compounded by the 2015 earthquake that devastated the Kodari area. Although the affected settlements have since been displaced, the terrain remains vulnerable to further slides.
Officials from the Charikot Road Division Office are in discussions with local authorities to assess possibilities for road clearance and restoration of transport services. However, no timeline has yet been set for reopening the route.
The Tatopani border crossing is one of Nepal’s key trade points with China, and its closure is expected to impact cross-border movement and goods transport in the coming days.