Flash flood in central Nepal sweeps away homes and bridges as five remain missing

The flash flood in central Nepal has caused wider damage than first reported, with authorities saying about a dozen houses and several suspension bridges were swept away in Gorkha district. The flood hit communities along the Budhi Gandaki River as families were preparing for the first day of the Dashain festival. Rescue teams are still working in the area, and officials say five people remain missing.

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The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a hydroelectric project was also damaged, with construction equipment carried away by the water. The army confirmed that around 50 people were rescued from the riverbank area, while no deaths have been reported so far. Officials said the river level rose sharply within a few hours, from about two metres to nearly 8.5 metres at one location, underlining how quickly the situation escalated.

The flood has added to pressure on local communities already facing uncertainty over shelter, transport and access to supplies. A hydrological station was swept away, leaving authorities without data from that location and making monitoring more difficult. The damage to bridges and homes also raises concern about access in a mountainous district where river crossings are essential for daily movement and emergency response.

The incident comes as Nepal remains highly exposed to floods and landslides in steep river valleys, especially during the monsoon and after upstream blockages. Officials have said the latest flood may have been triggered by a landslide blocking the river or one of its tributaries, although the exact cause has not been confirmed. Some local accounts have also suggested an ice avalanche upstream, but that has not been verified.

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The timing is significant because the country is still recovering from catastrophic floods two months ago that hit border towns with Tibet and left more than 1,400 people dead and thousands missing. That earlier disaster damaged homes and energy infrastructure, and the latest flood has again affected a hydropower project and transport links. Aid groups have said they are mobilising emergency support, while local authorities continue to assess the scale of the damage.

What remains unclear is the fate of the five missing people and whether further flooding or landslides could follow in the same area. Officials have not yet given a full damage assessment, and access to some affected locations may still be limited. The next updates are likely to focus on search efforts, the condition of downstream settlements and whether essential services can be restored quickly.

A flash flood in central Nepal has swept away homes, bridges and part of a hydropower project camp in Gorkha district, with rescue efforts continuing on Sunday. The flood affected communities along the Budhi Gandaki River after what officials believe was a landslide upstream. The army said it had rescued 49 people from the affected area, while five people were still missing.

District officials said four bridges and nearly two dozen houses were washed away in the flood. A camp linked to a hydropower project along the river was also damaged, adding to the disruption in the mountainous district. The incident has left local authorities assessing the scale of damage while trying to account for those untraced.

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The event is the latest reminder of Nepal's exposure to sudden flooding and landslides in steep river valleys. The country has been recovering from severe floods and landslides that hit border towns with Tibet two months ago, causing widespread destruction to homes and energy infrastructure and leaving many people dead or missing. In Gorkha, the immediate concern is the safety of residents living near the river and the stability of transport links that have already been hit.

The Budhi Gandaki River runs through a region where landslides can quickly alter river flow and trigger downstream flooding. That makes the area vulnerable not only to damage to houses and bridges, but also to interruptions at energy projects and access routes. The involvement of the army in the rescue effort underlines the seriousness of the situation and the difficulty of reaching some of the affected locations.

Officials have not yet given a full damage assessment, and it is still unclear whether more people may be missing or whether further landslides could follow. The immediate focus remains on rescue work, monitoring the river and checking downstream settlements for additional risk. Authorities are expected to update the situation as access improves and the extent of the damage becomes clearer.

Residents in north-central Nepal were evacuated on Sunday after a dry landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River and triggered flash flooding downstream. The incident took place in Chumnubri village in Gorkha district, about 100 km west of Kathmandu. Authorities said the swollen river swept away homes and infrastructure as it moved through the mountainous area.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said villagers along the riverbanks were told to move to safer ground and remain alert. Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the most senior bureaucrat in Gorkha district, said about a dozen houses and two suspension bridges had been washed away. He also said a hydro-electric project camp was damaged by the flood, while the river continued to rise.

Officials said the flood also washed away a highway bridge connecting two districts, adding to disruption in the area. Another 18 workers at the hydro-electric project escaped to safety after their camp was damaged. The army rescued six people from Jagat who were facing the risk of a landslide, according to the prime minister's office.

Disaster authorities also warned people in several downstream districts, including Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi. The event highlights the continuing vulnerability of Nepal's river valleys to landslides, flooding and sudden changes in river flow. In this case, the blockage of the Budhi Gandaki River created an immediate hazard for settlements and infrastructure downstream.

The river eventually joins the Trishuli River, which has also been associated with severe flooding in the past, underlining the wider risk faced by communities living along these waterways. The response involved local officials, the disaster authority, the army and police rescue personnel, all of whom were placed on alert as the situation developed. Authorities said they were monitoring the river and urging people in at-risk areas to evacuate in time.

The damage to bridges, homes and a project camp suggests the flood has already affected both daily life and local transport links. It remains unclear how far the floodwaters will spread and whether further landslides could follow in the same area. Officials have not yet given a final damage assessment, and the number of people displaced may rise if conditions worsen.

The main focus now is on keeping downstream communities safe and restoring access where bridges and roads have been lost.

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