A sudden surge in the Budhi Gandaki River swept away several houses and damaged settlements in northern Gorkha today early morning, prompting residents and tourists to fle riverside areas for safer ground.
Preliminary reports from district authorities said between five and seven houses were swept away in Jagat, in Chumnubri Rural Municipality.
Gorkha Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said no casualties had been reported as of 8:15 am.
The flood damaged the markets at Salleri, Jagat and Machhikhola, and a suspension bridge leading toward Kerauja is washed away.
People in riverside settlements, including Chumling and Lokpa, reportedly left their homes as the water rose. Tourists staying in local hotels also moved to safer places. Police and local authorities warned people to stay away from riverbanks and high-risk areas.
Authorities are preparing to send security personnel and a helicopter to assess the affected area.
The cause has not been established. Initial reports point to a sharp rise in the Ugylung and Syar streams in Chumnubri Rural Municipality, which feed the Budhi Gandaki.
Local residents and officials suspect a landslide may have blocked a stream before the water surged.
Whether a landslide dam formed and released has not been confirmed.
The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River, so the surge could pose risks downstream. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority urged people to remain alert as far as the Trishuli confluence. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology lists 1155 as its toll-free number for weather and flood information.
Residents in affected and downstream areas have been urged to follow official instructions, avoid riverbanks and stay away from flooded streams and damaged bridges.
