Flash floods sweep through central Nepal, washing away 40 homes

Istanbul (ANTARA) – Around 35 to 40 homes were swept away by flash floods in Nepal’s central Gorkha District on Sunday.

The flash floods on the Budhi Gandaki River in the early hours of Sunday caused extensive damage in the rural areas of Chumnubri and Dharche.

Several homes, bridges and hydropower project infrastructure were swept away, while settlements were inundated and several other homes faced serious risk, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported.

Nepal’s Home Minister, Sudan Gurung, said the flooding also swept away a bridge connecting Nyakchet and Philim Bazaar in Chumnubri-3.

Helicopters were deployed for rescue operations, aid deliveries and evacuations as river levels continued to rise.

The Nepal Police, Armed Police Force Nepal and local authorities were also mobilised to carry out rescue and relief operations.

The overall scale of the damage and the cause of the incident are still under investigation.

Gorkha District Chief Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said initial reports indicated a landslide in the upper reaches of Siuribas. He added that no casualties had been reported so far.

Authorities used loudspeakers to warn people living along the river and urged them to move immediately to safer locations.