KATHMANDU, Nepal — The Nepal flash flood struck on Sunday morning when a breached landslide dam sent a surge of water, mud and debris down the Budhi Gandaki river, sweeping away dozens of homes and bridges in Gorkha district.
FAKTA: Nepal Budhi Gandaki flash flood
- What: Flash flood on the Budhi Gandaki river after a landslide dam breached
- When: Sunday morning, October 11, 2026, around 4 a.m. local time
- Where: Gorkha district, north central Nepal, downstream toward Dhading
- Missing: At least five people reported missing; damage reports still being collected
- Damage: About three dozen houses swept away; four bridges damaged or destroyed; power and communication towers down
- Rescue: Nepal’s army rescued 49 people by Sunday afternoon using helicopters and ground troops
How the Nepal flash flood happened
Authorities said a landslide near the village of Chumchure blocked the Budhi Gandaki river, forming a natural dam. The dam breached in the early hours of Sunday, sending a sudden surge of water, mud and debris downstream.
Videos circulating on social media showed houses and sheds being swept away by the swollen river flowing between the steep mountains of the Gorkha valley.
“The water level had surged from early morning at around 4 a.m., accompanied by a very loud sound,” said Narayan Sapkota, the chief administrative officer of Chumnubri Rural Municipality. “We suspect a possible blockage of the river’s flow and that the resulting temporary dam breached.”
Rescue operation underway
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) evacuated villagers and warned residents along the river to move to safer areas and remain on alert until late Sunday.
The Nepal flash flood also damaged the construction site of a hydropower plant and severed several key transport links in the mountainous region, including the bridge at Arughat connecting Gorkha and Dhading districts.
A country still recovering
Nepal is still recovering from a devastating flood in August along the mountainous Nepal-China border that left more than 1,400 people dead and thousands more missing.
The Budhi Gandaki merges into the Trishuli river and is a key waterway near the capital Kathmandu. Officials say the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Read more Asia news on the Watan News Asia desk.
