Flash floods sweep away around 40 houses in central Nepal

An estimated 35 to 40 houses were swept away by a flash flood in central Nepal's Gorkha district on Sunday. The flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki River early Sunday caused widespread damage in the Chumnubri and Dharche rural municipalities, sweeping away houses, bridges, and infrastructure at a hydropower project, while inundating settlements and putting more homes at risk, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported. Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also swept away the bridge linking Nyakchet and Philim Bazaar in Chumnubri-3. Helicopters were deployed for rescue operations, relief distribution, and evacuations as river levels continued to rise. Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, and local authorities were also dispatched to carry out rescue and relief operations. The full extent of the damage and the cause of the incident are still being investigated. Gorkha Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said preliminary reports indicated that a landslide had occurred above Siuribas. No casualties had been reported, he added. Authorities were using loudspeakers to warn people living along the river and urge them to move to safer locations.