Budhi Gandaki River flash floods destroy up to 40 homes in Nepal
Between 35 and 40 homes were swept away when a dry landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal on Sunday, October 11, 2026, triggering flash floods that forced emergency evacuations downstream. Despite the extensive destruction of buildings and bridges, local authorities confirmed that there were no reports of fatalities in this latest flooding event.
Dry Landslide Binds Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha District
The disaster began in the early hours of Sunday with a dry landslide in Chumnubri village within the Gorkha district, located approximately 100 kilometers west of Kathmandu. The landslide debris formed a temporary natural dam across the Budhi Gandaki River, an important tributary of the Trishuli River system. As water pooled behind the blockage and eventually burst through, a thick wall of mud and water surged downstream, destroying local infrastructure. District officials reported that the torrent washed away at least a dozen homes according to early estimates from Kompas.com, while local reporting cited by ANTARA News placed the number of destroyed houses between 35 and 40 across the rural areas of Chumnubri and Dharche. Initial reports indicated that the landslide originated in the upper region of Siuribas.
Floods Destroy Bridges as Authorities Evacuate Villagers
The flash flood damaged multiple suspension bridges, a campsite for a hydroelectric power project, and a highway bridge connecting Gorkha to the neighboring Dhading district. A bridge connecting Nyakchet and Philim Bazaar in Chumnubri-3 was also swept away. Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, the senior bureaucrat and chief district officer for Gorkha, stated that authorities used loudspeakers to warn villagers along the riverbanks to move to higher ground. Prime Minister Balendra Shah noted on social media that military personnel successfully evacuated six individuals from Jagat due to imminent landslide threats. Meanwhile, 18 workers stationed at the damaged hydroelectric camp managed to escape safely before the floodwaters struck their quarters. Disaster management officials confirmed that police and military rescue teams deployed helicopters to monitor the situation and assist stranded residents across Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, Nawalparasi East, and Nawalparasi West.
Shadows of the August Glacier Collapse Across the Himalayas
Nepal’s Ministry of Energy reported that 27 power plant projects totaling 901.1 megawatts of capacity were affected, including 12 operational projects with a capacity of 431.1 megawatts and 15 under-construction projects totaling 470 megawatts that suffered significant damage. The disaster occurred downstream from the site of an August glacial collapse that killed 1,457 people, while thousands remain missing. Previously, the government stopped searching for victims of that August 26 flash flood after recovering 1,445 bodies, leaving 5,285 individuals still unaccounted for.
