Nepal urges villagers to evacuate after flood triggered by landslide, 5 missing

Kathmandu, Nepal - Nepali officials urged residents on Sunday to relocate to safer locations after a flood triggered by a landslide swept away homes and infrastructure in the Budhi Gandaki River, located in the central region of the country. However, there were no reported casualties in the incident.

Two women and three men were reported missing, according to the national disaster authority. The army stated that an additional 49 individuals, including a foreigner, had been rescued. The nationality of the rescued person was not disclosed.

The landslide in Chumnubri village, situated in Gorkha district, approximately 62 miles west of the capital Kathmandu, blocked the Budhi Gandaki River. This obstruction subsequently led to downstream flooding. The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River, with another tributary experiencing a glacier collapse that resulted in a catastrophic flood in August, claiming 1,457 lives and leaving thousands missing.

Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the senior bureaucrat of Gorkha district, warned villagers living along the riverbanks downstream to evacuate and ensure their safety. The flood demolished around a dozen houses and two suspension bridges while damaging a hydroelectric project camp, causing some construction equipment to be carried away by the force of the water, as reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The rapidly rising flooded river, now carrying muddy sludge, washed away a highway bridge connecting Gorkha with the neighboring Dhading district. Dharam Raj Uprety, the chief of the authority, informed that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority had alerted people residing in the Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi, and West Nawalparasi districts regarding the flood.

Authorities have called upon individuals to assist in ensuring that at-risk populations are swiftly moved to safe locations and to aid in search and rescue operations as required. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority conveyed this plea through a social media post. Rescue personnel from the army and police have arrived at the affected area and are continuing to monitor the situation via helicopter.