Authorities have warned of further danger along the river. The flood damaged settlements, disrupted road connections and affected a hydropower project under construction. Kathmandu: A sudden flood in Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki River swept away three bridges and more than 35 houses in Gorkha district on Sunday (October 11), forcing residents to flee.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed on Sunday, with emergency teams monitoring the affected settlements and helping people move to safer locations. The latest disaster struck Chumnubri and Dharche rural municipalities in the mountainous Gorkha district. The incident has heightened fears among communities, which are still recovering from Nepal’s devastating August 26 flood that killed more than 1,450 people and left thousands missing.
Local officials said houses were swept away in areas including Salleri, Bagar, Ghattikhola and Jagat.
The flood was reported early on Sunday after a sudden rise in the river. The flood destroyed two suspension bridges and a bridge used by motor vehicles. One suspension bridge connected Nyakchet and Sirdibas in Chumnubri Rural Municipality, while another stretched between Machhikhola in Dharche Rural Municipality and Kerauja. Floodwaters also swept away a bridge at Soti in Aarughat Rural Municipality, affecting a road connection between settlements in the region. Several houses along the river were either washed away or flooded. A hydropower project under construction in the area also suffered damage. The loss of bridges has added to the difficulties faced by residents in remote mountain communities, where road and footbridge connections are essential for travel, supplies and access to emergency services. Residents heard loud sounds from nearby streams during the early morning and began moving towards higher ground. Water levels fluctuated before further surges swept mud, rocks and debris downstream.
Four people are missing after livestock sheds were washed away near the Ungilung stream, according to local media reports.
Officials are collecting details about damaged homes and infrastructure as the flood’s impact became clearer. Water accumulated behind the blockage before breaking through and surging downstream. Authorities are investigating the precise sequence of events and the location of the blockage. Such temporary blockages can cause sudden flooding when the accumulated water breaks through, sending a surge of water, mud and debris into settlements downstream. The danger can spread far beyond the landslide site, particularly in steep mountain valleys where rivers run close to homes, bridges and roads. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has issued an alert urging people to stay away from the Budhi Gandaki River and move to higher ground. The authority warned residents along the river downstream towards Trishuli Dobhan of the risk from rising water levels. Stay in high places. A glacially triggered mass movement in the Rasuwagadhi area led to a catastrophic flood and debris flow that travelled through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems. The August disaster damaged roads, bridges and hydropower facilities across several districts. Nepal ended its main search-and-rescue operation in early October and began concentrating on rehabilitation and reconstruction, while emergency rescues continued where needed. Authorities ordered evacuations and alerted downstream districts. The latest flood struck around 4am along Budhi Gandaki, a tributary of Trishuli, in Chumnubri, approximately 100km west of Kathmandu.
Therefore, do not go near the river up to the Trishuli Dobhan until the flood passes. Reports suggest that a landslide blocked a stream feeding the Budhi Gandaki River in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-6. In its advisory, the authority said, “The Budhi Gandaki River in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-6 is experiencing a massive flood. The latest flooding comes weeks after a devastating disaster on August 26 near Nepal’s border with China. The disaster killed more than 1,450 people, while 5,285 people were listed as missing in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority’s September 26 update. The World Bank estimated direct damage to physical assets at $1.66 billion, with infrastructure accounting for 83% of the total. The Nepal government’s preliminary assessment put physical damage at around $1.81 billion. Earlier reporting noted: Flash flood sweeps away 40 houses, 6 bridges in Nepal; up to 10 missing A pre-dawn flash flood in Nepal’s Manaslu trekking region on Sunday swept away nearly 40 houses, six bridges and hydropower infrastructure. Up to 10 people are missing and more than 150 foreign tourists are stranded. Earlier reporting noted: Early SMS warnings helped residents flee to higher ground, while the Army rescued 49 people. Earlier reporting noted: The disaster struck barely 45 days after catastrophic floods along Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river killed more than 1,450 people and left 5,250 missing.
Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha’s chief district officer, said initial reports suggested a landslide in the upper reaches of the affected area. Residents and travellers were told to avoid riverbanks and vulnerable low-lying areas until the danger passed.
