Authorities said there were no immediate reports of deaths, but rescue teams remained on high alert as water levels continued to rise. Nepal has ordered thousands of people living along the Budhi Gandaki River to evacuate after a landslide-triggered flash flood swept away homes, bridges and other infrastructure in the country’s central region on Sunday.
Social media footage reveals homes and outbuildings being carried off by a swollen river rushing through steep mountain terrain. The full extent of the damage across various small mountain settlements remains unknown at this time. However, reports online suggest that government alerts successfully triggered evacuations in Arughat, a riverside community situated along the main highway linking Kathmandu to the rest of the country.
The government estimates the reconstruction will require $4.77 billion. Overall, the disaster impacted nearly 33,000 residents and damaged or destroyed approximately 7,500 homes.
According to reports from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the swollen river carrying heavy sludge also destroyed a highway bridge connecting Gorkha district with neighboring Dhading district. The bridge is an important transport link in central Nepal.
