Floods sweep away homes and bridges along Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal

Floods surged along the Budhi Gandaki River in northern Nepal on Sunday, sweeping away homes, suspension bridges, and a hydropower construction camp as communities prepared to mark the Dashain festival, according to reports. Water levels at one station spiked from two metres to nearly 8.5 metres within a couple of hours, according to official figures cited by bbc.com. Binod Parajuli, a meteorologist who works with the Nepalese government, said: Our hydrological station was swept away and we are not getting any data from that location. Footage capturing the disaster illustrates the precise instant that violent currents plunge down a valley and demolish an entire group of buildings. Local community member Ganesh Karki informed The Kathmandu Post that he and several others fled about 500m (0.3 miles) uphill to a nearby wooded area for safety after receiving an early morning alert regarding the oncoming deluge. We never imagined a flood of this size, he said. The water surged for about 15 minutes and then stopped repeatedly throughout the morning. We are afraid to return home at night. On Sunday morning, an abrupt torrent laden with silt, boulders, and detritus tore through communities situated along the Budhi Gandaki River in the northern Gorkha region.

Rescues and Missing Persons Along the Budhi Gandaki Corridor

The Nepalese army confirmed that 95 people, including nine foreign nationals, were rescued along the riverbanks in the central Gorkha district. No casualties had been recorded by authorities, but five people remained missing as search operations continued. The Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that more than 200 homes were damaged and over 650 people were affected by the disaster.

Infrastructure Damage and Hydropower Impact

English.onlinekhabar.com reported that a technical team deployed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority found that two motorable bridges, two suspension bridges, and three hydropower projects sustained heavy damage. Among the hardest-hit facilities was the 341-megawatt Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project site at Salleri in Dharche Rural Municipality-3, where project houses and construction equipment were washed away. Preliminary assessments also recorded 45 destroyed houses, 27 partially damaged structures, 34 livestock sheds, and three vehicles lost in the torrent. Floodwater from the Ungilung Kholar was seen flowing through the Syarkhola into the Budhi Gandaki.

Relief Efforts and Humanitarian Response

She stated: Just over a month after one of the worst disasters in Nepal’s history, children’s lives have been ripped apart in an instant yet again. She added: Children are always among the most vulnerable in the aftermath of disaster. The Nepalese army mobilized four helicopters to reach settlements completely cut off by destroyed road connections between Gorkha and Dhading.