INFRAME ASIA, NEWS – Authorities in Nepal urged residents living along riverbanks to move to safer locations after a landslide triggered flooding in the country’s central region. The incident began when a landslide in Chumnubri village in Gorkha district blocked the Budhi Gandaki River. Officials said several houses and two suspension bridges were swept away, while a hydroelectric project was damaged.
The affected village lies about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu. The landslide blocked the river channel and altered the flow of water downstream, according to local authorities. The resulting flood threatened communities located along the river’s course.
Officials reported no casualties at the time of the initial evacuation appeal. The absence of reported deaths did not remove the risk to people living in low-lying areas. Authorities urged residents to leave vulnerable riverbanks and remain in safer locations.
Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the senior bureaucrat in Gorkha district, said villagers downstream had been asked to evacuate. The instruction was intended to move people away from areas where water levels could rise rapidly. Officials also asked communities to remain alert to further directions as the situation developed.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority issued an alert for people in several districts. The warning covered Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi. Local authorities were asked to help move at-risk residents and support search-and-rescue operations where needed.
The damage included several houses and two suspension bridges that were swept away by the flood. A hydroelectric project was also reported damaged, raising concerns about infrastructure in the affected valley. Officials had not provided a full assessment of the total losses in the initial reports.
Army and police rescue personnel reached the area as authorities monitored conditions. Officials also used a helicopter to observe the affected region and assess the evolving situation. The response focused on identifying communities at risk and supporting evacuation efforts.
The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River system. Its connection to a wider river network means flooding can affect areas far from the original landslide site. Authorities therefore issued warnings beyond the immediate location of the blockage.
Nepal has faced other severe flood emergencies in recent months. A separate glacier-related flood in August caused extensive loss of life and left thousands missing, according to the reporting. The earlier disaster has heightened concern about warning systems and the vulnerability of settlements along mountain rivers.
Landslides can temporarily obstruct rivers and create dangerous changes in water flow. When a blockage releases or water rises behind it, downstream communities may have limited time to respond. Rapid warnings and evacuation instructions are therefore important during such incidents.
Authorities urged residents to follow instructions from local officials and avoid returning to exposed riverbanks while conditions remained uncertain. Rescue teams continued to monitor the area and assess the damage to homes, bridges and infrastructure. The immediate priority remained moving people out of places threatened by further flooding.
Officials had not reported casualties in the first accounts of the event, while the extent of property and infrastructure damage was still being assessed. The evacuation alert remained relevant to communities along the affected river corridor. Local agencies were coordinating safety measures as monitoring continued.
