Authorities in Nepal have urged residents living along riverbanks to evacuate to safer areas after a landslide triggered flooding that swept away homes, bridges and other infrastructure in the country’s central region. Five people remain missing, while dozens of others have been rescued.
The flooding occurred Sunday in Gorkha district, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Kathmandu, after a landslide in Chumnubri village blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, causing water to surge downstream, officials said.
Nepal’s national disaster authority reported that two women and three men were unaccounted for. The army said 49 people, including one foreign national whose nationality was not disclosed, had been rescued.
“We have asked villagers living along the river banks downstream to evacuate and remain safe,” said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha district’s most senior administrative official.
The flood swept away around a dozen houses and two suspension bridges, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. A camp supporting a hydroelectric project was also damaged, with some construction equipment carried away by the floodwaters.
The swollen river, carrying muddy debris, also destroyed a highway bridge linking Gorkha with neighboring Dhading district, said Dharam Raj Uprety, head of the disaster authority.
Authorities warn communities downstream
Disaster officials issued warnings to residents along the river in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts, urging people in vulnerable areas to move to safety.
In a social media post, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority called for the timely evacuation of at-risk communities and assistance with search-and-rescue operations.
Army and police rescue teams have reached the affected area, while officials are also monitoring conditions from a helicopter.
The Budhi Gandaki River flows into the Trishuli River system. The latest flooding has raised concerns in a country vulnerable to landslides and sudden floods, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
The incident comes after a catastrophic flood in August, triggered by a glacier collapse in another tributary of the Trishuli River system, killed 1,457 people, with thousands still missing, according to the report.
Authorities continue to monitor the rising water and coordinate rescue efforts as they urge residents downstream to heed evacuation warnings.
