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A sudden flood in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki river may have followed a landslide blockage that later gave way. Authorities are investigating the cause as damage reports from Gorkha remain preliminary.
The powerhouse of the under-construction Budhi Gandaki hydropower project at Salleri in Dharche Rural Municipality was swept away. (Credits: PTI)
New Delhi,Oct 11, 2026 15:59 IST
A sudden flood in Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki river in Gorkha district may have been triggered by a landslide that temporarily blocked the river’s flow, the Nepal Army said in its preliminary report. The obstruction is believed to have given way later, releasing a surge of water, soil and debris downstream.
The preliminary assessment followed an aerial survey of the flood-affected area. The exact source and cause of the flood, however, have not yet been established, and an investigation is underway.
According to the Nepal Army, its No 3 Brigade Headquarters received initial information at 5.55 am on Sunday that the river’s flow had stopped. A reconnaissance team was subsequently dispatched from the security post at Bangsing, operated by the Rudradhwaj Battalion stationed in Gorkha, at around 6.15 am.
The team confirmed a dry landslide in the Filim area of Chumnubri Rural Municipality. Based on the initial findings, the Army estimated that the landslide had blocked the river before the obstruction gave way, triggering the sudden flood.
FLOOD RESEMBLES RASUWA-BHOTEKOSHI DISASTER
Dr Dharma Raj Upreti, executive chief of Nepal’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, said the nature of the flood in the Budhi Gandaki river appeared similar to the flooding in the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi region on August 26.
However, he said the actual source and precise cause of the latest flood remained unclear. Authorities have launched an investigation to establish what triggered the incident.
Video footage of the flood showed a surge of dark soil, large rocks and other debris moving through the Budhi Gandaki river. A team, including personnel equipped with drones, has been sent to the river’s upper reaches to examine the area and gather further information.
The earlier Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood was attributed to the displacement of a large section of a glacier in Tibet. That disaster caused significant loss of life. Authorities are yet to determine whether the Budhi Gandaki flood had a similar underlying cause.
HYDROPOWER PROJECT POWERHOUSE SWEPT AWAY
The flood also damaged infrastructure in Gorkha district. According to preliminary information provided by the Nepal Army, the powerhouse of the under-construction Budhi Gandaki hydropower project at Salleri in Dharche Rural Municipality was swept away.
Initial reports also indicated that eight to 10 houses in the surrounding area may have been washed away. However, other details emerging from the affected area suggested a different extent of damage.
According to these reports, one temporary house was swept away, while floodwater entered eight houses and eight temporary shelters. Another 22 houses were reported to be under threat.
The damage assessment remains preliminary, and further details are expected as authorities continue surveying the affected areas.
Investigators are also examining the upper reaches of the Budhi Gandaki river to establish the cause of the sudden surge and determine the extent of the impact on nearby settlements and infrastructure.
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