HighLights
  1. Flash flood devastates Salleri and Jagat Bazaars in Gorkha.
  2. Budhi Gandaki River surge sweeps away houses and bridges.
  3. Nepal issues flood warnings; no casualties reported yet.

Nepal Floods: A sudden rise in the water level of the Budhi Gandaki River on Sunday has triggered a devastating flash flood in Nepal’s Gorkha district. The flood has swept away Salleri Bazaar and caused severe destruction in Jagat Bazaar. Several houses and other structures along the river were also washed away as a surge of water, mud and sludge moved downstream. Authorities have issued flood warnings and urged residents in riverside settlements to move to safer locations.

Severe Destruction In Gorkha

According to authorities, the flash flood has caused significant damage to settlements along the Budhi Gandaki River. Gorkha Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said initial information suggested that five to seven houses in the riverbed at Jagat had been swept away. Videos that have emerged online show thick, muddy floodwaters surging through the river, cnd sweeping away structures.

“The report is that five to seven houses in the riverbed at Jagat have been swept away. A few other houses have also reportedly been swept away downstream. We are working on getting updates from the ground,” Mishra told ANI. The official confirmed that no casualties had been reported so far.

Nepal Issues Flood Alert

Meanwhile, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has issued a flood warning, advising people to stay away from the Budhi Gandaki River until the flood passes. The authority’s Flood Forecasting Section issued an SMS alert at 6:40 am, warning of a large flood coming from Ward 6 of Chumnubri Rural Municipality. The alert urged people to avoid the river up to Trishuli Dobhan and move to higher ground.

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Landslide Suspected Behind Sudden Surge

While officials are yet to establish the exact cause of the sudden rise in the river water level, preliminary reports suggest that a landslide may have occurred above Siuribas in Chumnubri Rural Municipality, blocking the river before giving way. Narayan Sapkota, Chief Administrative Officer of Chumnubri Rural Municipality, said the water level had started rising sharply around 4 am on Sunday. He added that the sound of the river’s flow was also unusually loud.

According to the Kathmandu Post, several bridges connecting settlements across the affected areas have been destroyed. An old suspension footbridge linking Nyakchet and Sirdibas was swept away. Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung stated that a bridge connecting Nyakchet and Philim Bazar had also been destroyed.

In Dharche-5, a suspension footbridge connecting Machhakhola and Kerauja was washed away. The flood also damaged the site of the 341-megawatt semi-reservoir-type Budhi Gandaki hydropower project under construction in Salleri, Chumnubri-3.

Rescue Ops Underway

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah said the Nepali Army has been deployed by air and land for search and rescue operations. In a post on X, he informed that six people have been airlifted from the landslide-risk area of Jagat, while a quick reaction team from Kathmandu has also been dispatched by air.

Will The Flood Affect Indian States?

The immediate destruction by the latest flood has been reported only in Gorkha district so far. Nepalese authorities have not confirmed any flood impact across the Indian border. Also, the Budhi Gandaki River flows entirely within Nepal before joining Trishuli river and does not directly enter India. However, its waters eventually feed into the Narayani River, which enters India through Bihar as the Gandak River.

Any potential impact on downstream areas in India would depend on the volume of water flowing through the connected river system. Indian authorities have also not issued any flood warning for Indian states so far.

ALSO READ: Nepal Emerges As Favourite Destination For Indians, Over 17,400 Visit In September Despite Floods

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