Nepal issues evacuation orders after flash floods leave four people missing

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Authorities in Nepal urged people to move away from riverbanks in the mountainous north after flash floods swept away homes and bridges, leaving at least four people missing. The flooding struck the Budhi Gandaki river in Gorkha district, about 100km west of the capital Kathmandu , early on Sunday. Residents and tourists fled to safety as the river surged and officials issued evacuation warnings along its banks and downstream stretches of the Trishuli river. The four missing people had been living in a shed on the banks of the Ungilung river, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki, according to The Kathmandu Post . The shed was among four livestock shelters swept away by the floods , which also carried away 15 yaks. The flooding was reportedly triggered by a landslide, which blocked a tributary before suddenly releasing the water downstream, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said. open image in gallery Budhi Gandaki river in Nepal in spate on Sunday ( AP ) Authorities said they had identified a large landslide near Chumchet village in satellite images, but were yet to confirm the precise cause. Residents reported hearing loud roaring sounds from nearby streams from about 4am, while officials said the river’s flow continued to fluctuate. The floods swept away three bridges and dozens of houses, according to local media. The Himalayan Times said 35 houses were washed away while police confirmed that two suspension footbridges and one steel bridge had been destroyed. A camp for workers and construction equipment at a hydropower project were damaged as well. At least 18 workers who were in the camp escaped to safety. The full extent of the damage remains unclear, however, as assessments continue. The Flood Forecasting Division urged people to stay away from riverbanks and move to safer ground. Its warnings extended along the Trishuli river corridor towards Mugling and further downstream into Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts, where authorities said the flood risk remained high. The army rescued six people who were at risk from a landslide, prime minister Balendra Shah said in a post on X. “Following the flood in the Budhi Gandaki river, a contingent of the Nepali army has been deployed via air and land routes for search and rescue operations, and six individuals have been airlifted from the Jagat area, which is at risk of landslides. The composite quick reaction team stationed in Kathmandu has also been deployed to the aforementioned area via air transport,” he said. open image in gallery Aftermath of deadly flash floods and mudslides along the Likhu river in Nepal in August ( Reuters ) Nepal is still recovering from catastrophic flash floods in August , when a sudden surge of water hit the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, devastating entire communities near the border with China . The floods were likely caused by an ice avalanche and the temporary blockage of a river upstream, although assessments were ongoing. At least 1,455 people were confirmed dead and 5,285 remained missing when the government ended its search-and-rescue operation earlier this month . The disaster affected nearly 33,000 people and damaged or destroyed about 7,500 homes as well as 13 hydropower projects. The government estimates that reconstruction will cost $4.7bn, with damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure leaving some remote communities cut off and complicating relief and recovery efforts.