Overview
- A sudden surge on the Budhi Gandaki struck Gorkha early on Sunday after a landslide temporarily blocked a tributary and the natural dam gave way, with a river gauge recording an abrupt rise of about 8.4 metres.
- The flood swept away roughly 40 houses, destroyed multiple footbridges and a road bridge, and badly damaged a hydroelectric construction camp, according to local and national officials.
- Authorities deployed Nepal Army units, police and helicopters and reported at least 82 people rescued, including nine foreigners, while about five people remain missing and evacuations continue downstream.
- Hydrology teams say available rainfall records do not explain the event and are examining a landslide-dam breach and a possible ice-avalanche as triggering causes while noting some monitoring stations were damaged.
- The disaster adds pressure to Nepal’s recovery from the late‑August glacier-related catastrophe by further cutting road and bridge links, straining rescue logistics and raising new reconstruction needs.