On Sunday, Nepalese authorities urged local residents to move to safer locations after a powerful flood on a river in the central part of the country destroyed several homes and infrastructure facilities; no casualties have been reported so far, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
According to the authorities, a landslide (not involving water) in the village of Chumnubri (Gorkha District, approximately 100 km west of Kathmandu) blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, causing flooding downstream.
The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River. It flows downstream from another tributary where a glacier collapse in August caused a catastrophic flood that claimed the lives of 1,457 people, while thousands are still considered missing.
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"We have asked residents living along the riverbanks downstream to evacuate and ensure their own safety," said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, head of the Gorkha District administration.
Mishra said the flood swept away several homes and two suspension bridges, and also damaged a hydropower facility.
National disaster response services warned residents living along the river in Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts about the flooding.
"Please help ensure the timely relocation of people from dangerous areas to safe places and facilitate search-and-rescue operations as needed," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said in a social media post.
Officials said rescuers from the army and police had already arrived at the scene and were monitoring the situation from a helicopter.
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