Nepal: 5 missing, 95 rescued in Gorkha after flash flood destroys houses, bridges | What we know

Nepalese authorities are searching for five people who remain missing after a flash flood swept through parts of Gorkha district on Sunday, destroying houses, bridges and other infrastructure, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

Thirteen more people were rescued from flood-hit areas as search and rescue operations continued.

The Nepalese army said it had rescued 95 people from the affected areas of the rural village of Chumnubri by Sunday evening using helicopters and ground teams.

Three people stranded in Dhaulibhir near the Ungilung River were reportedly airlifted by an army helicopter on Sunday evening.

Authorities suspect a landslide blocked the river, creating a temporary natural dam that later burst, sending a devastating flood of water and debris downstream.

By Sunday evening, 95 people from several settlements in rural Chumnubri village were rescued by four helicopters, including an MI-17, along with ground rescue teams, The Rising Nepal reported.

Five are missing because a landslide triggered a flash flood

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said five people, including two women, remained missing after the disaster.

According to the authority, the landslide occurred between Lokpa and Chhumling in Gorkha district of north-central Nepal. The debris blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, creating a barrier that subsequently gave way and triggered a flash flood.

The sudden release of water and debris flooded areas downstream, sweeping away structures and damaging vital infrastructure.

Damaged houses, bridges and hydroelectric plants

The flooding and associated landslides caused widespread damage in the affected region, according to the NDRRMA.

The authority reported that 45 houses were completely destroyed and another 27 suffered partial damage. Two suspension bridges, two motorized bridges and three hydroelectric power plants were also damaged.

Several bridges connecting settlements across mountainous terrain were destroyed or damaged, disrupting transport and access to affected communities. These included a concrete bridge connecting Arughat in Gorkha with Dhading, a suspension bridge between Nyakchetat and Sirdibas and the Machhikhola-Kerauja flyover. The reinforced concrete bridge in Sotima was also damaged or swept away.

Authorities have deployed security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Forces to support evacuation, rescue and relief operations.

Reports said hundreds of personnel, including 171 Nepalese army soldiers, had been mobilized, while a rapid response team from Kathmandu had been flown in to help with the operation.

Nepal faces new fears of Himalayan disasters

The latest floods have renewed concerns about the vulnerability of communities living along Himalayan river systems.

The disaster comes as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of severe flooding and debris flowing along its border with China in late August.

Read also | The unseen dangers lurking beneath the Himalayas

The August 26 disaster hit settlements in Rasuwa and Sindhupalchok, with reports citing glacier collapse as a possible trigger.

The earlier disaster caused widespread destruction and left around 1,400 dead or thousands missing.