By Abdullahi Lukman
Nepali authorities have urged residents living along the Budhi Gandaki River to evacuate to safer locations after severe flooding swept away several houses and two suspension bridges and damaged a hydroelectric project in central Nepal. No casualties had been reported as of Sunday.
The flooding occurred after a landslide in Chumnubri village in Gorkha district, about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu, blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, causing water to surge downstream, officials said.
Gorkha district’s senior administrative official, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, said residents living along the riverbanks downstream had been instructed to move to safe areas as authorities monitored the situation.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority issued warnings to communities in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts, urging officials to ensure the timely evacuation of people in vulnerable areas and support rescue operations where necessary.
Army and police rescue teams have reached the affected area, while personnel are also monitoring the situation from a helicopter, according to officials.
The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River system, which has previously experienced a devastating flood following a glacier collapse in August. That disaster reportedly killed 1,457 people, with thousands more still missing.
Authorities have called for continued vigilance as emergency teams assess the damage and work to protect communities at risk from further flooding.
