Authorities in Nepal issued urgent evacuation orders for thousands of residents living along the Budhi Gandaki River after a dry landslide in Gorkha district triggered severe flash flooding.
The landslide struck Chumnubri village, approximately 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu, temporarily damming the river before it burst downstream with mud and heavy debris.
The deluge swept away around a dozen homes, two suspension bridges, and a key highway bridge connecting Gorkha with neighbouring Dhading district. Infrastructure was also damaged at a nearby hydroelectric project camp, where 18 workers managed to escape to safety.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah confirmed that the Nepal Army rescued six individuals from Jagat village who were facing an immediate landslide threat.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) alerted downstream communities across Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi districts to move to higher ground. Though no casualties have been reported so far, rescue teams remain on high alert.
This fresh disaster comes shortly after search and rescue operations concluded for the catastrophic Aug floods in the same river basin, which left over 1,400 people dead and thousands missing.
