The Budhi Gandaki River a tributary of the Trishuli, burst its banks early Sunday morning after a landslide blockage near the village of Chumnubri gave way at around 4:30 am. The sudden release of water, mud and debris turned the river into a raging torrent, flooding downstream settlements in the Gorkha district of central Nepal. Officials describe the event as a flash flood—a rapid rise in water level caused by a sudden release of stored water, not by rainfall.
What triggered the surge
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) a landslide in Chumnubri village blocked the river for several hours on Saturday. When the natural dam collapsed, water levels shot up from 3.66 metres at 6:30 am to 8.43 metres by 8:40 am, far above the defined danger mark of 5 metres. The agency noted that the rise of more than two metres in just ten minutes was unprecedented and that the flood was not caused by rain, but likely by the breach of the blockage.
Damage to infrastructure and communities
The surge demolished at least thirty-five houses across Paiyu, Bagar, Dobhan, Ghattekhola, Jagat and Salleri villages. Two suspension bridges and three additional river-crossing structures—including the Nyakchet-Philim bridge and the Machhikhola bridge linking Dharche Rural Municipality with Soti—were swept away, cutting off vital transport routes. A hydroelectric project camp along the river also suffered damage, losing construction equipment. Despite the extensive material loss, no human fatalities have been reported so far, though four herders remain missing after their livestock sheds were washed away.
Emergency response and evacuation
Authorities issued an immediate evacuation order for riverside residents in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts. Dharmendra Kumar Mishra the senior bureaucrat of Gorkha, urged people to move to higher ground, while Sudan Gurung of the Home Ministry confirmed that the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and local administrations have mobilised rescue, relief and evacuation teams. The Nepal Army deployed air and land search-and-rescue units, airlifting six people from the landslide-prone Jagat village. A Composite Quick Response Team from Kathmandu, along with helicopters, has been monitoring the river corridor.
The NDRRMA reported that 82 individuals, including nine foreigners, have been rescued, while five people remain missing. Local officials such as Laxmi Gurung of Chumnubri Rural Municipality described the scene as a nightmare, noting that homes are gone and electricity is cut, yet casualties have so far been avoided. The agency continues to assess damage, maintain a high-risk alert for the river stretch up to Benighat, and advise residents of nearby districts to stay alert as water levels fluctuate.
