Nepal urges villagers to evacuate after flood triggered by landslide

Nepal has urged villagers to evacuate to safer areas following a flood caused by a landslide in the central part of the country, although no casualties have been reported. A landslide in Chumnubri village within the Gorkha district, located approximately 100 kilometers west of Kathmandu, blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, causing downstream flooding, according to authorities.

The Budhi Gandaki, a tributary of the Trishuli River, flows downstream from another tributary where a glacier collapse led to a catastrophic flood in August, resulting in 1,457 deaths and thousands still missing.

Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the senior bureaucrat of Gorkha district, stated that villagers residing along the riverbanks downstream have been asked to evacuate and ensure their safety. The landslide swept away around a dozen houses, two suspension bridges, and damaged a hydroelectric project camp, reported Dharam Raj Uprety, the chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The flooded river, carrying muddy sludge, is rising and has washed away a highway bridge that connects Gorkha with the neighboring Dhading district, as per Uprety.

The army rescued six individuals from Jagat who were at risk of another landslide, as informed by Prime Minister Balendra Shah through a social media post. Another 18 workers at the hydroelectric project, whose camp was damaged, also managed to escape to safety, Uprety added. National disaster authorities have issued alerts to people living along the river in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi, and West Nawalparasi districts, urging them to move to safe locations in time and provide assistance for search and rescue efforts, as per a social media post by the authority.

Officials mentioned that army and police rescue personnel have reached the affected area and are closely monitoring the situation from a helicopter.