KATHMANDU, Oct 12: Search and rescue operations continued in Nepal’s Gorkha District on Monday after flash floods and landslides swept away homes, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving five people missing and forcing authorities to evacuate residents from affected areas.
Thirteen additional people were rescued from flood-hit locations, taking the total number of people evacuated by the Nepali Army and other rescue teams to 95, officials said.
The disaster struck areas of Chumnubri Rural Municipality following a sudden rise in the water level of the Budhi Gandaki River on Sunday. The flooding and associated landslides damaged residential structures, transport links and hydropower facilities, raising concerns about the safety of communities living along vulnerable Himalayan river corridors.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said five people, including two women, remained unaccounted for as emergency teams continued their search.
Three people stranded at Dhaulibhir, near the Ungilung River in Ward 6 of Chumnubri Rural Municipality, were rescued by a Nepali Army helicopter on Sunday evening.
The group had become trapped after a landslide struck the area earlier that morning. They had been staying at a cattle shed when the incident occurred, according to Narayan Sapkota, chief administrative officer of the rural municipality.
“They had a cattle shed there and became trapped after a landslide suddenly struck on Sunday morning,” Sapkota said, adding that the stranded individuals were airlifted to Philim.
By Sunday evening, rescue teams had evacuated 95 people using four helicopters, including an MI-17, along with personnel operating on the ground, The Rising Nepal reported.
The rescued individuals were from several settlements across the affected region, including Jagat, Yaru, Thulodhunga, Dobhan, Philim, Nyakphedi, Payu, Namrung, Deng and Dhauli.
Authorities continued to assess the extent of the destruction while coordinating efforts to locate the missing and provide emergency assistance to displaced families.
According to the NDRRMA, the floods and landslides damaged two suspension bridges, two motorable bridges and three hydropower projects. The disaster also destroyed 34 cattle sheds, completely damaged 45 houses and partially damaged another 27.
Three vehicles were swept away by the floodwaters, the agency said.
More than 700 security personnel have been mobilised for rescue and relief operations, including 171 soldiers from the Nepali Army. Emergency supplies delivered to affected communities include tents, blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags and kitchen sets.
The assistance is intended to provide temporary shelter and essential household support to people whose homes have been destroyed or rendered unsafe.
The latest disaster has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of Himalayan settlements to sudden flooding and landslides, particularly during periods of intense rainfall and unstable mountain conditions.
The incident comes less than two months after the August 26 Bhotekoshi disaster, when a sudden surge of water and debris swept through settlements in Rasuwa and Sindhupalchok. That disaster caused extensive destruction, killed hundreds of people and left thousands missing, according to the account provided by authorities.
The successive emergencies have highlighted the dangers faced by communities located close to mountain rivers, where landslides can obstruct streams and create temporary barriers. When these natural barriers collapse, large volumes of water and debris can rush downstream, causing destructive flash floods with little warning.
Nepal’s mountainous terrain, steep slopes and unpredictable weather make many settlements particularly susceptible to such hazards. Flooding can also isolate villages by damaging bridges and roads, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach affected residents and deliver essential supplies.
The damage to bridges in Gorkha is especially significant because these structures provide vital connections between remote settlements and larger service centres. Their destruction could complicate the movement of residents, emergency personnel and relief materials until temporary crossings or permanent repairs become possible.
Damage to hydropower projects may also affect local infrastructure and electricity supplies, depending on the extent of the destruction and the operational status of the affected facilities.
Officials are continuing to monitor conditions and assess the needs of displaced residents as search operations proceed. The immediate priorities remain locating the five missing people, ensuring the safety of survivors and providing shelter and essential supplies to households affected by the disaster.
Nepal regularly faces natural hazards associated with its location in the Himalayas, including floods, landslides and avalanches. Experts have repeatedly stressed the importance of early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure, effective evacuation planning and coordinated emergency response to reduce the impact of such events.
For communities in Gorkha, the coming days will be critical as rescue teams continue their efforts and authorities work to establish the full scale of the damage caused by the flooding.