Nepal: 5 Missing, 95 Rescued In Gorkha After Flash Flood Destroys Homes, Bridges What We Know

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Nepalese authorities are searching for five people who remain missing after a flash flood on Sunday swept through parts of Gorkha district, destroying homes, bridges and other infrastructure, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

Thirteen more people were rescued from flood-hit areas as search and rescue operations continued.

The Nepali Army said it had rescued 95 people from affected areas of Chumnubri Rural Municipality by Sunday evening, using helicopters and ground teams, according to the report.

Three people stranded at Dhaulibhir, near the Ungilung river, were reportedly airlifted by an army helicopter on Sunday evening.

Authorities suspect that a landslide blocked the river, forming a temporary natural dam that later burst, sending a destructive surge of water and debris downstream.

By Sunday evening, 95 people had been rescued from several settlements across Chumnubri Rural Municipality using four helicopters, including an MI-17, alongside ground-based rescue teams, The Rising Nepal reported.

Five missing as landslide triggers flash flood

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said five people, including two women, remained missing following the disaster.

According to the authority, the landslide occurred between Lokpa and Chhumling in Gorkha district in north-central Nepal. The debris blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, creating a barrier that subsequently gave way and triggered the flash flood.

The sudden release of water and debris inundated downstream areas, sweeping away structures and damaging vital infrastructure.

Houses, bridges and hydropower projects damaged

The flooding and associated landslides caused extensive damage across the affected region, according to the NDRRMA.

The authority reported that 45 houses were completely destroyed and another 27 sustained partial damage. Two suspension bridges, two motorable bridges and three hydropower projects were also damaged.

Several bridges connecting settlements across the mountainous terrain were destroyed or damaged, disrupting transport and access to affected communities. These included the concrete bridge linking Arughat in Gorkha with Dhading, the suspension bridge between Nyakchetat and Sirdibas, and the Machhikhola-Kerauja footbridge. An iron-and-concrete bridge at Sotima was also reported damaged or swept away.

Authorities have deployed security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and the Armed Police Force to support evacuation, rescue, and relief operations.

Reports said hundreds of personnel had been mobilised, including 171 Nepal Army soldiers, while a rapid-response team from Kathmandu was airlifted to assist with the operation.

Nepal faces renewed concerns over Himalayan disasters

The latest flooding has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of communities living along the Himalayan river systems.

The disaster comes as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of severe flooding and debris flows along its border with China in late August.

Also Read | The unseen risks lurking beneath the Himalayas

The August 26 disaster affected settlements in Rasuwa and Sindhupalchok, with reports citing a glacial collapse as a possible trigger.

The earlier disaster caused widespread destruction and left around 1400 dead or thousands missing.

With inputs from PTI.

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