Residents living along Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki river in the north-central region were evacuated on Sunday after a sudden flash flood destroyed homes and other structures, officials said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority evacuated villagers and warned others along the riverbank to relocate to safer areas while remaining on high alert through late Sunday. No casualties were immediately reported.
Disaster management officials are working to determine the cause of the flash flood along the Budhi Gandaki, a key waterway near the capital Kathmandu that merges into the Trishuli river.
Social media videos showed houses and sheds being swept away by the swollen river flowing between tall mountains. While the total number of impacted mountain villages remains unclear, government warnings prompted an evacuation in Arughat, a strategic riverside town on the highway connecting Kathmandu to other parts of the country.
The disaster strikes as Nepal continues to recover from a catastrophic August flood along the mountainous Nepal-China border that killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing.
The office of Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Monday announced an end to search and rescue operations for additional victims from the August floods. Authorities will instead concentrate on recovery, including the restoration of roads and bridges cut off by flooding, particularly in remote areas where damaged infrastructure has hindered aid delivery.
The Nepalese government estimates the total rebuilding effort from the August floods will cost $4.77 billion, with nearly 33,000 people affected and about 7,500 homes damaged or destroyed.
