Residents living along the Budhi Gandaki river in north central Nepal were forced to evacuate on Sunday due to flash flooding that caused destruction to homes and various structures in the area. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority took action to evacuate villagers and advised others to relocate to safer places while remaining vigilant until late Sunday. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
The disaster management agency is currently investigating the cause of the flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki river, which converges into the Trishuli river and serves as a crucial waterway near the capital city of Kathmandu. Videos circulating on social media depict houses and sheds being carried away by the swollen river amid towering mountains. The extent of impact on the small villages in the mountainous region remains unclear. Social media posts suggest that the government’s warning led to an evacuation in Arughat, a town situated along the river and connected to Kathmandu via a highway.
Nepal is still grappling with the aftermath of a catastrophic flood in August along the Nepal-China border, resulting in over 1,400 fatalities and numerous individuals still unaccounted for. The office of Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah recently announced the conclusion of search and rescue operations for missing persons. Efforts will now focus on recovery tasks such as restoring roads and bridges severed by floods, especially in remote areas where damaged infrastructure has hindered aid distribution.
The government anticipates the reconstruction process to incur costs amounting to $4.77 billion. Approximately 33,000 individuals have been affected, with around 7,500 homes suffering damage or destruction.