Villagers Evacuate as Flash Flood Hits Nepal River
No casualties reported immediately, but homes and structures were destroyed.
Residents in north central Nepal evacuated their homes on Sunday as flash flooding along the Budhi Gandaki river destroyed structures in the area. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority organized the evacuations and alerted other villagers to move to higher ground.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the flood, which occurred on the Budhi Gandaki river, a significant waterway that flows into the Trishuli river near the capital, Kathmandu. Social media videos depicted houses and sheds being washed away by the swollen river in the mountainous terrain. The government had issued warnings, prompting evacuations in riverside towns like Arughat.
Nepal is still dealing with the aftermath of a devastating flood in August along its border with China. That disaster resulted in over 1,400 deaths and left thousands missing. Search and rescue operations for that flood have concluded, with the government shifting focus to recovery efforts, including repairing damaged infrastructure that has hampered aid delivery to remote areas. The government estimates rebuilding costs at $4.77 billion, with nearly 33,000 people affected and approximately 7,500 homes damaged or destroyed by the earlier floods.