Nepal Flood Sweeps Away Bridges and Homes, Damages Hydropower Projects

Six bridges were swept away, and party chairman Rabi Lamichhane has told members of Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party to help people hit by the Budhi Gandaki flood. The Sunday morning surge tore through settlements in northern Gorkha, damaging homes and cutting routes between villages. Lamichhane also warned that riverside areas from the Budhi Gandaki to the Trishuli remain at risk, and urged residents to follow local officials’ advice. ^1,6

That warning follows a sudden rise in the river around 4 a.m. Authorities suspect a landslide in Chumnubri blocked a river or tributary, allowing water to build before breaking through with mud and debris. The exact cause is still being checked, and another report raised a possible avalanche in the Manaslu region as an explanation. Reports put the number missing at 10, though figures have varied as officials gather information. The Nepal Army says six people have been evacuated; other reports give higher rescue totals. ^6,9

The damaged crossings have made mountain communities harder to reach. Officials report about 35 homes swept away in Chumnubri, with damage also reported in Jagat, Salleri, Dovan and Ghattekhola. The flood affected four hydropower projects with a combined output of 412.09 megawatts, including their construction camps, bridges, roads and equipment. That matters in a country building hydropower for export, while steep river valleys leave settlements and power sites exposed to sudden surges. ^2,4

The rescue effort now has to keep pace with a river whose level is still changing. Nepal’s army, police and local authorities are working in the affected area, while disaster officials have warned communities downstream, including around Benighat and Muglin, to move to higher ground. Lamichhane asked party members to coordinate with officials, and residents should follow evacuation orders as the response continues. ^1,6,12