Nepal, June 30 -- Ilam district headquarters risks being cut off from the rest of the country as several sections of the Mechi Highway, the region's main transport lifeline, have become increasingly vulnerable to landslides. If the damaged stretches fail, road links to Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung could be severed.

The most critical section lies at Rajduwali in Ilam Municipality 9, where nearly half a kilometer of the Mechi Highway has been badly damaged by landslides and erosion. Vehicles are unable to pass safely through the area, threatening to disconnect Ilam Bazaar and the neighboring districts of Panchthar and Taplejung from the Tarai.

The road was heavily damaged by floods and landslides on October 4 and 5 last year. Another sp...