Kathmandu, Jhari prabhavit kshetra khatrama. KATHMANDU, AUG 14 - Continued heavy downpours, expected to hit the hills of the central region until Saturday, are likely to worsen further the conditions of the locals who have been affected by the Sunkoshi landslide. As works on draining the lake created by an artificial dam at Jure Village in Sindhupalchok district fail to make much headway, the residents in Barhabise, nearly 4 km upstream, are living in constant terror. Heavy rains lashed the landslide-hit area as well as the catchment basins since Tuesday night through the whole of Wednesday. The water level on Sunkoshi River flowing down Barhabise is rising as a result. Weathermen predict that central and western regions are likely to receive heavy rains over the next couple of days. The Meteorological Forecasting Division states that monsoon entered the active phase on Wednesday so heavy rains will continue until Saturday, raising fears of landslides in hilly districts. On Wednesday, Pokhara received highest rainfall at 213. 7 millimetres while Jiri, the weather station nearest from the Sunkoshi landslide site, saw 34.2 mm rain. Rajendra Pyakurel, spokesperson for the Sindupalchok District Development Committee, said smaller landslides and debris flows are occurring in the area where a 1.9 long slope of land fell 1,350 meters to dam the river. Other landslips were reported in the surrounding areas. Our correspondent from the site said 12 families living around the lake are threatened as the land at Mahabhir area in Ramche has developed fresh cracks. Police Inspector Jayashwor Rimal said the families were sheltered in camps made for the Jure victims. Rain is likely to affect the work of opening new tracks, making the area prone to landslips. Nepal Army technicians are carrying out controlled blasts to widen the outlet of water from the lake, said Chief District Officer Gopal Parajuli. He added that there is no specific threat of an outburst of the lake and resultant downstream flooding. “However, the smaller and medium-scale landslides occurring on the surrounding hills threaten to burst the lake, a phenomenon that could sweep a massive volume of debris and sediment to wipe out riverside land and properties downstream,” said Parajuli. An NA source said two excavators would be used to drain out more water from the lake on Thursday.