Flash floods in central Nepal sweep away buildings, leaving five missing

Flash floods have struck central Nepal, sweeping away houses and bridges along the Budhi Gandaki River. The disaster, triggered by a landslide upstream, has left at least five people missing and damaged critical infrastructure in the Gorkha district.

Rescue Operations and Missing Persons

Authorities have launched search and rescue operations in the affected areas. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) stated that two women and three men were unaccounted for. "There are no reports of casualties," the NDRRMA said.

Rescue efforts have involved army and police personnel, with some operations supported by helicopter monitoring. The NDRRMA reported that at least 82 people, including nine foreigners, have been rescued from the affected areas. In a separate statement, the army said on Sunday that it had rescued 49 people from flood-affected areas. Due to the discrepancy in reported rescue numbers between the NDRRMA and the army, the total count remains under review by officials.

Infrastructure Damage

The floodwaters caused significant destruction to local infrastructure. According to the NDRRMA, the flood swept away about a dozen houses and two suspension bridges. It also damaged a hydroelectric project camp, carrying away some construction equipment.

NDRRMA Chief Executive Dharam Raj Uprety said a muddy torrent washed away a highway bridge connecting Gorkha with the neighboring Dhading district. The BBC reported that four bridges and nearly two dozen houses were swept away, along with a camp at a hydropower project.

Evacuation Orders and Context

The Budhi Gandaki River is a tributary of the Trishuli River. This area was previously affected by a catastrophic flood in August caused by a glacier collapse, which killed 1,457 people and left thousands missing.

Following the recent flash floods, national disaster authorities issued alerts to residents in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi, and West Nawalparasi districts. "We have asked villagers living along the riverbanks downstream to evacuate and remain safe," said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha district’s most senior bureaucrat.

The NDRRMA urged the public to assist in moving people to safe locations. "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 agency said in a social media post.

Local official Laxmi Gurung of Chumnubri rural municipality described the event as terrifying. "The flood looked similar… It was very scary, and it still feels like a nightmare for us," Gurung said. "Our house is gone, we have no electricity… but there have been no casualties."

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Nepal to climate-related disasters. The country is still recovering from catastrophic floods and landslides in August that wiped out thousands of houses and destroyed critical energy infrastructure. The recurrence of such events in the same river basin underscores the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience in the region.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Nepal: Buildings swept away as flash floods hit Budhi Gandaki river
• aljazeera.com: At least five people missing as flash floods in Nepal sweep away houses | Climate Crisis News | Al Jazeera

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.