Flash floods in the Budhigandaki River on Assoj 25 (BS) displaced 204 families and left five people missing in Gorkha and Dhading districts. The floods caused extensive damage to northern Gorkha and the riverine areas of Dhading, destroying homes, markets, and critical infrastructure.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal’s disaster management body, 43 families were displaced in Chumanubri Rural Municipality, 39 in Dharchhe Rural Municipality, and 64 in Arughat Rural Municipality, all in Gorkha district. Additionally, 58 families were displaced in Tripurasundari Rural Municipality, Dhading.
Extensive damage to homes and infrastructure
The floods swept away a motorable bridge connecting Soti and Manbu in Arughat Rural Municipality, Gorkha, and severely damaged Soti Bazaar and other settlements along the riverbanks. Machhikhola Bazaar in Dharchhe Rural Municipality-5, Gorkha, also suffered significant damage to houses, shops, and other physical structures.
Thirty-five houses were swept away in Payu and Bagar villages, while Dovan, Ghattakhola, Jagat, and Salleri villages also experienced widespread destruction. Most houses in Shantibazaar, Arughat Rural Municipality-5, Gorkha, are now uninhabitable. Local resident Rajkumar Khatri reported that the majority of the 58 households in Shantibazaar were severely affected after the Budhigandaki River changed its course and inundated the settlement, washing away homes, livestock, and household items.
The floods completely destroyed 45 houses and partially damaged 27 others, with dozens more submerged. Thirty-four cattle sheds and 12 pigsties were also damaged, and three vehicles were swept away, according to the NDRRMA.
Local resident Lal Prasad Gurung of Machhikhola, Dharchhe Rural Municipality-5, Gorkha, estimated his warehouse alone sustained losses of approximately Rs 20 million, severely impacting the local economy.
Rescue efforts and ongoing challenges
The floods also destroyed two concrete bridges, one Bailey bridge, and two suspension bridges. The main access bridge in Kerauja, Dharchhe Rural Municipality-2, Gorkha, and the Khurlabesi bridge were damaged, disrupting local movement and goods transportation. Four hydropower projects were also affected.
Amid ongoing searches for the five missing individuals, 82 people, including nine foreign nationals, have been rescued, the NDRRMA stated. A total of 703 security personnel, including 171 from the Nepali Army (with three special forces teams), 143 from the Nepal Police, and 389 from the Armed Police Force Nepal, have been deployed to the affected areas to expedite rescue and relief operations.
The Nepal Red Cross Society, a humanitarian aid organisation, has provided tarpaulins to the displaced families. Indra Bahadur Ale Magar, a local resident of Shantibazaar, reported that 27 families are currently living in temporary shelters.
Cause of the flood and future actions
The massive flood in the Budhigandaki River was reportedly caused by a sudden release of water after a dry landslide blocked the Syar Khola between Kharong and Ungjulung in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-6, Gorkha. This blockage led to an abrupt surge in the river’s flow, submerging and eroding settlements in the riparian areas.
Relief efforts are underway, with essential supplies such as food and clothing dispatched to Chumanubri, Dharchhe, and Arughat Rural Municipalities in Gorkha, and Tripurasundari Rural Municipality in Dhading, according to the NDRRMA. A technical team, including geologists and drones, led by the NDRRMA, has been deployed for a detailed study of the incident.
Based on information from the Gorkha District Administration Office, the NDRRMA has initiated the process to manage an estimated 21 days’ worth of relief materials for Chumanubri, Dharchhe, and Arughat Rural Municipalities. A meeting of the Monsoon Response Command Post, chaired by Dr. Dharma Raj Upreti, Executive Chief of the NDRRMA, is ongoing to continuously monitor the flood situation, analyze its impact, disseminate necessary information, and coordinate rescue and relief efforts among relevant agencies.
The condition of the five missing individuals remains unknown, and there is no information yet on when the reconstruction of damaged bridges and roads will begin or what measures will be taken to secure at-risk settlements.
