Rescue teams in central Nepal are searching for five people who went missing after sudden floods swept through villages on Sunday. The disaster destroyed dozens of homes, damaged bridges, and affected hydropower facilities, according to officials.
Videos shared online showed a powerful torrent of muddy water and debris rushing through the hills of the Gorkha district. The flood struck after a landslide blocked a river, causing water to build up before suddenly breaking through the obstruction.
Dharam Raj Uprety, head of Nepal’s national disaster agency, confirmed that the incident was caused by the sudden release of water trapped behind the landslide debris.
Around 45 houses were washed away, while three hydropower projects and four bridges suffered severe damage. Authorities confirmed that at least 82 people, including nine foreign nationals, have been rescued from the affected areas.
However, five people remain unaccounted for. Four helicopters were deployed to assist rescue teams and evacuate residents from high-risk zones. Officials have also warned residents to leave riverbanks and move to safer locations as water levels in the Budhi Gandaki River continue to rise.
Nepal Faces Another Flood Emergency
The latest disaster adds to the severe challenges facing Nepal as communities continue to recover from earlier catastrophic flooding. On August 26, a devastating flood triggered by a mountain glacial collapse reportedly killed more than 1,400 people, while over 5,000 remain missing.
Laxmi Gurung, an official from the Chumnubri rural municipality, said the latest floods reminded residents of the terrifying disaster they had previously experienced. She added that the community is still dealing with the aftermath of that earlier flooding. Although her community lost homes and electricity supplies, she confirmed that there have been no reported deaths in this latest incident.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, warned that this event demonstrates how compounding hazards can trigger destructive flooding across Himalayan river systems.
Its Director General, Pema Gyamtsho, emphasized that immediate rescue operations must remain the priority. However, he noted that identifying the root causes of such disasters is also essential to reducing future risks and improving community preparedness.
Nepal has experienced a relentless wave of extreme weather recently. Heavy rainfall in late September triggered additional floods and landslides, killing at least 21 people, according to the national disaster agency. These repeated disasters highlight an urgent need for stronger early-warning systems, effective evacuation plans, and better protection for vulnerable communities.
