By Thakur Prasad Acharya, Beni, Oct. 16: The Kaliganaki river flood on September 27 has wiped out the natural hot spring at Ratopani in Annapurna Rural Municipality-6, Myagdi, leaving the once-popular tourist and therapeutic destination buried beneath a barren riverbed.
The flood swept away the structures built to protect and develop the hot spring, destroying infrastructure worth around Rs. 10 million. The site, which had attracted tourists and people seeking relief from various health problems, has now been reduced to a riverbed.
The Rural Municipality had been developing the site as a tourist destination over the past nine years. However, the flood that struck the Kaligandaki river in September last week swept away the hot spring and its associated facilities.
The river now flows through the site where the hot spring pool once stood, while the natural source of hot water has shifted about 30 metres downstream.
Annapurna Rural Municipality Chairman Bharat Kumar Pun said the flood had completely destroyed the infrastructure developed through years of effort and investment, leaving the investment made so far in ruins.
As rebuilding the hot spring at its original location would be difficult, the rural municipality is exploring the possibility of channelling the water from the natural source to another location and constructing a bathing facility there, he said.
According to Bal Krishna Paudel, a sub-engineer at the Rural Municipality, tourism infrastructure worth around Rs. 10 million had been built at the site over the years, from the former village development committee era to the present local government.
The flood swept away the concrete retaining wall constructed along the riverbank to protect the site from erosion, the bathing pool, shelters, resting areas and toilets.
“None of the infrastructure built so far remains. The flood has swept away the hot spring, turning the site into a riverbed. From a technical perspective, rebuilding the facilities at the same location does not appear feasible. The water could, however, be channelled to another location to develop bathing facilities and other tourism infrastructure,” Paudel said.
In recent years, the Rural Municipality had been protecting and managing the natural hot water source while generating revenue from the site. With support from the Rural Municipality, the provincial government, local residents and donors, the source had been conserved and developed into a destination for bathing, recreation and natural therapy.
Located along the banks of the Kaligandaki River, the hot spring had gradually gained popularity as a tourist attraction and a natural therapeutic destination following improvements to its facilities.
Situated alongside the Beni-Jomsom road, the source discharged hot water at a temperature of 56 degrees Celsius at a rate of 11 litres per second.
The water was collected in a pool measuring 10 metres by 10 metres, which could accommodate 40 to 50 people at a time.
With the hot spring facility well managed, visitors returning from Mustang would often stop to bathe and relax before continuing their journeys. The influx of tourists had also helped boost businesses in Ratopani, Pokharebagar and Thulobagar.
People suffering from injuries, bruising, gastric problems and health issues associated with exposure to cold also visited the hot spring for bathing. The site had become well known for health tourism and therapeutic bathing.
The Rural Municipality had been generating annual revenue by leasing out the hot spring to private operators. Its destruction by the flood has not only wiped out the infrastructure but also deprived the local government of an important source of income.
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