Landslide blocks Nepal river, triggering flash flooding and evacuations in Gorkha district

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.

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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.

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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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