Over 35 houses, bridges swept away by flash flood in Nepal's Gorkha; villagers urged to evacuate

A debris-laden flash flood in a river has swept away more than 35 houses and bridges in Nepal's Gorkha district on Sunday, authorities said, urging people living along the stream to move to higher ground.

The flood in the Budhi Gandaki River swept away houses in Salleri, Paiyuka and the riverbed at Jagat, as well as a suspension bridge connecting the ward, Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha's chief district officer, said preliminary reports indicated that a landslide had occurred above Siuribas. No casualties have been reported so far, he said.

The cause of the sudden surge remained unclear. Residents suspect that the Syar stream, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri-6, may have been blocked, triggering the flood.

The flash flood in the river swept away more than 35 houses in several locations in northern Gorkha, officials said.

Chumnubri Rural Municipality Deputy Chair Laxmi Gurung said the flood that hit the Budhi Gandaki this morning is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa, Online Khabar news portal reported.

"The Budhigandaki flood is reminiscent of the Bhotekoshi flood," she said. "It has washed away dozens of houses. It is not possible to say the exact extent of the damage right now."

The devastating flooding struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district on August 26. The floods in the Rasuwa and Trishuli river areas claimed 1,455 lives, while 5,285 people remained missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

Home minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also swept away the bridge linking Nyakchet and Philim bazaar in Chumnubri-3. With the river continuing to rise, helicopters had been deployed for rescue operations, relief distribution and evacuations, he said.

Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local authorities were mobilised to carry out rescue and relief operations.

"The flood came early in the morning, and we could not even take out our belongings," Ram Kumar said.

"Everyone fled as soon as we heard the flood was coming." The full extent of the damage was not yet known, he said.

Residents in riverside settlements, including Chumling and Lokpa, fled their homes after hearing loud roaring sounds from the streams from around 4am. Tourists staying at local hotels also fled, residents said.

Sherap Gurung, a resident of Lokpa, said the sound suggested that the water flow had repeatedly stopped and resumed.

"Because it was dark, we could not tell whether the stream had been blocked or a landslide had occurred. It had not rained either," he said.

Nepal urges villagers to evacuate

Nepali authorities urged villagers on Sunday to move to safer places after a flood in a river in the central part of the country swept away several houses and infrastructure, but there were no reports of any casualties.

"We have asked villagers living along the river banks downstream to evacuate and remain safe," said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the Gorkha district's most senior bureaucrat.

Mishra said about a dozen houses and two suspension bridges had been swept away, and a hydroelectric project camp was damaged by the flood.

The army rescued six people from Jagat who were facing the risk of a landslide, Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in a social media post. Another 18 workers at the hydroelectric project that had its camp was damaged escaped to safety, Uprety said.

National disaster authorities alerted people living along the river in the Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts about the flood.

"Please help ensure that people in at-risk areas are moved to safe locations in time and assist search and rescue operations as needed," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said in a social media post.

Officials said army and police rescue personnel had reached the area and were also monitoring the situation from a helicopter.