SRINAGAR: A flash flood in Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki River swept away an estimated 35 to 40 houses in Gorkha district on Sunday, damaging bridges and hydropower infrastructure and prompting rescue and evacuation operations, The Kathmandu Post reported.
The flooding affected Chumnubri and Dharche rural municipalities, inundating settlements and threatening additional homes as water levels in the river continued to rise.
Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also washed away the bridge connecting Nyakchet and Philim Bazaar in Chumnubri-3.
Helicopters were deployed to assist with rescues, evacuations and relief distribution, while Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local authorities were mobilised for emergency operations.
Gorkha Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said preliminary reports suggested that a landslide had occurred above Siuribas. No casualties had been reported, he said as per local media reports.
Authorities were using loudspeakers to alert residents living along the river and urge them to move to safer locations.
The full extent of the damage and the cause of the incident were still being investigated.
