A severe flash flood struck the Gorkha district in northern Nepal on Sunday, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and residential areas. Authorities confirmed that over 35 houses and multiple suspension bridges were swept away as water levels in the Budhi Gandaki River surged suddenly. The flooding affected several locations, including Salleri, Paiyuka, and the riverbed at Jagat.
Chief District Officer of Gorkha, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, stated that preliminary assessments suggest a landslide may have occurred above Siuribas, contributing to the surge. While the exact cause remains under investigation, local residents suspect that the Syar stream, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki, might have been blocked, leading to the destructive overflow. Currently, no casualties have been reported following the incident.
Local residents reported hearing loud noises emanating from the streams as early as 4:00 a.m., prompting many families and tourists staying in local hotels to flee to safer areas before the floodwaters arrived. Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3, noted that the speed of the rising water left families with no time to retrieve their belongings. Home Minister Sudan Gurung confirmed that the bridge connecting Nyakchet and Philim bazaar was among the structures destroyed.
In response to the emergency, the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force have been deployed to coordinate rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts. The government has also dispatched helicopters to assist with the operations and to deliver essential supplies to affected communities. Officials have utilized public announcement systems to warn residents living along the riverbanks to relocate to higher, more secure ground as water levels remain a concern. As rescue teams continue to assess the region, officials have indicated that the full scale of the destruction is still being determined.
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