Nepal, July 3 -- Water supply from the Melamchi Drinking Water Project to Kathmandu Valley has been suspended after flooding damaged a temporary intake dam at the project's headworks in Helambu, Sindhupalchok.

According to technical staff at the Melamchi site, the water first turned heavily turbid at around 9pm on Thursday. Soon afterwards, floodwaters damaged the temporary diversion structure at the intake, forcing officials to stop sending water into the 26-kilometre tunnel the same night.

The flooding was triggered by heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment around the intake area in Helambu.

"The river flow has not subsided yet," a project technician said. "There is no immediate possibility of resuming water diversion."

Madhu Timi...