Budhi Gandaki flash flood: Authorities estimate relief needs for 21 days

NDRRMA reports 95 people rescued, including nine foreign nationals; 703 security personnel deployed as authorities assess damage and deliver relief supplies to affected communities

Damage caused by the flood that came into the Budhi Gandaki River on Sunday morning from the direction of the Ungilung Stream located in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-6 of northern Gorkha. Photo courtesy: RSS

GORKHA: At least five people remain unaccounted for after a landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha district early Sunday, triggering a major flash flood that damaged houses, bridges, hydropower projects and other infrastructure, according to a situation report made public by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) on Monday.

The five people, comprising two women and three men from Ungilung in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-6, had not been contacted as of 10 pm on October 11, the report said. The Army rescued 95 people, including nine foreign nationals, from affected areas using four helicopters.

The landslide occurred at around 5:30 am on October 11 between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-6. Originating from the Siringe Himal area, it blocked the river, causing water to accumulate before the blockage gave way and triggered a flash flood carrying mud and debris.

Preliminary assessments recorded damage to two concrete bridges, two suspension bridges, one Bailey bridge, three hydropower projects, 43 vehicles and one school. The flood also damaged four havan kundas, or Hindu ritual fire altars, five sheep sheds and 12 pigsties or storehouses.

House damage was reported in four locations: 43 houses in Ward 3 of Chumnubri Rural Municipality, 39 in Wards 1, 3 and 5 of Dharche Rural Municipality, 64 in Ward 5 of Arughat Rural Municipality and 58 in Ward 2 of Tripurasundari Rural Municipality in Dhading district.

Security personnel conducting aerial rescue operations after Budhi Gandaki flash flood. Photo courtesy: NDRRMA

The authority also received reports of damage to 11 drinking-water schemes in Tripurasundari, Jwalamukhi, Gangajamuna and Siddhalek rural municipalities. The affected schemes include Bishaltar Arughat, Manpang, Majhitar, Pipaltar, Ratmate, Majuwa, Bungkotghat Simle, Chhap Gahateri Dalit Settlement, Gangajamuna Rural Municipality, Tripurasundari Rural Municipality and Siddhalek Rural Municipality drinking-water schemes.

Security forces mobilized, water level exceeds danger mark

Eight police personnel, five from the Sirdibas Police Post and three from the Chunchet Police Post, helped move residents to safe locations after receiving reports of the river blockage and flash flooding. Twelve employees of Times Energy company, based in Salleri, were also relocated.

At 6 am on Sunday, the NDRRMA sent emergency text alerts to 221 district- and local-level responders in Gorkha, Dhading, Tanahun, Chitwan, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) and Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West), instructing them to mobilize immediately. The Army conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the affected area at the same time.

Water began flowing through the blocked section at around 6:15 am, triggering the major flash flood. Authorities moved residents living along the riverbanks to safer locations.

At 6:30 am, the water level at the Budhi Gandaki-Arughat flash-flood gauging station rose from 2.28 meters to 3.66 meters, against a warning level of 4.50 meters. The level reached 5.01 meters at 7:50 am, exceeding the danger level of 5 meters, and subsequently rose to 6.22 meters. By 8:40 am, it had climbed to 8.43 meters. The NDRRMA said approximately 200,000 emergency alert messages had been sent to residents along the riverbanks.