KATHMANDU: A sudden flood in the Budhi Gandaki River has caused widespread destruction in Nepal’s central Gorkha district, sweeping away homes and suspension bridges and damaging a hydropower project. Authorities said 95 people, including nine foreign nationals, had been rescued, while five people remained missing.
According to the Nepalese Army, search and rescue operations are continuing in the affected areas. Four helicopters have been deployed to assist with the operation. No fatalities had been reported at the time of the latest update.
🇳🇵 Nepal hit by ANOTHER flash flood
Black, debris-filled water surged through the Budhigandaki River valley in Gorkha, eating up houses and bridges in its path
It comes less than two months after a massive flood killed nearly 1,500 people with 5,000 still missing
They just can’t catch a break
Writer: Ian
https://t.co/1HBWykd03i
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 11, 2026
More Than 200 Homes Damaged, Hundreds Affected
Nepal’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the flood damaged more than 200 homes and affected over 650 people. The rushing water swept away around a dozen houses and several suspension bridges. Construction equipment at a hydropower project was also carried away.
Several settlements have been cut off from road access, with some areas reachable only by air. Many families have been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in safer locations.
River Level Rises Sharply Within Hours
Officials said the river level at one monitoring point rose from around two metres to nearly 8.5 metres within a few hours.
💔🇳🇵Watch: More footage is emerging from #Nepal as devastating flash #floods wreak havoc🌊
An absolute catastrophe. 🌊💔 https://t.co/ng3pXqXPp9
— World_Breaking_News03 (@Breaking2003) October 11, 2026
Local resident Ganesh Karki told The Kathmandu Post that he and others fled to a nearby forest about 500 metres uphill after receiving an early-morning flood warning. He said the water surged in repeated waves, leaving residents afraid to return home at night.
Cause of Flood Remains Unclear
Authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of the flooding. One possibility is that a landslide temporarily blocked the river or one of its tributaries, allowing water to accumulate before suddenly breaking through the obstruction. Some local residents also reported seeing an ice avalanche upstream.
Meteorologist Binod Parajuli said the flood swept away a hydrological monitoring station, leaving officials without data from that location.
Experts said the latest event appeared less intense and moved more slowly than the devastating floods in August, although it still caused significant damage.
Fresh Disaster After Deadly August Floods
Nepal is still recovering from catastrophic floods that struck border areas near Tibet in August, killing more than 1,400 people and leaving thousands missing.
Save the Children has mobilised an emergency response team to assist affected communities. The organisation’s director in Nepal, Tara Chettry, warned that children and families may have lost their homes, schools and community support networks.
Experts say climate change and the accelerated melting of glaciers may increase the risk of natural disasters in mountainous regions. However, further investigation is needed to determine what triggered the latest flooding in Gorkha.
