At least five people are missing after flash floods swept through communities along Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki River, destroying homes and bridges and forcing residents to flee to higher ground.
The flooding struck Gorkha District in north-central Nepal on Sunday, October 11, 2026, damaging settlements and infrastructure and prompting emergency teams to launch rescue and evacuation operations.
Six people were rescued by helicopter from the vulnerable area of Jagat as authorities worked to move residents to safety.
Authorities suspect the disaster was triggered by a landslide that blocked the river or one of its tributaries before the accumulated water surged downstream. The exact cause and full extent of the damage were still being assessed.
Several houses and bridges were swept away, while electricity poles, communication infrastructure and a construction camp linked to a hydropower project were also damaged.
The destruction has disrupted transport and raised concerns about access to affected communities
Nepal’s military and police have been involved in rescue efforts, with helicopters used to reach isolated areas and evacuate people.
Authorities have also warned communities downstream to move away from riverbanks and seek higher ground as a precaution against further flooding.
The Budhi Gandaki River flows through a mountainous region where settlements can be exposed to sudden floods and landslides.
A rapid rise in water levels can leave residents with little time to escape, particularly in communities located close to riverbanks.
The latest disaster comes as Nepal continues to deal with the effects of earlier deadly flooding in the country.
In August, a separate major flood disaster near the border with China killed more than 1,400 people, according to reports, and left widespread destruction.
Rescue teams are continuing to search for the five missing people, while authorities assess damage and work to provide assistance to affected residents.
The number of people displaced and the overall cost of the destruction remain unclear.
