Flash Floods Kill Five in Nepal's Gorkha District After River Blocked

At least five people have died after flash floods swept through Nepal's central Gorkha district, destroying two villages and leaving more than 650 people affected. Almost 100 people were rescued, and more than 100 foreign trekkers were left stranded in the hiking region, according to the latest assessments. The Guardian

The flooding followed a pre-dawn landslide on 11 October that blocked the Budhi Gandaki River. Water built up behind the blockage before surging downstream. The river level rose from 2 metres to nearly 8.5 metres within hours.

In Chumanubri rural municipality, a local government area in Gorkha, homes, roads and bridges were washed away. Part of a hydropower station was also damaged. Nepal's national disaster risk reduction and management authority reported that 204 homes were damaged.

Authorities had urged villagers downstream to evacuate after the landslide blocked the river. Reuters Chumnubri village in Gorkha lies about 100 km west of Kathmandu.

Early reports from the area described dozens of houses swept away and several bridges lost. The Associated Press reported that four bridges were damaged or destroyed. AP News Residents were airlifted out of the threatened Chumnubri area as flood risk remained high.