Flash Floods in Nepal Cause Damage and Displacement

A major river in Nepal has flooded, resulting in the destruction of houses, bridges, and damage to a hydropower station, according to authorities. Officials reported that 95 people, including nine foreigners, were rescued along the Budhi Gandaki River in the central Gorkha district. No casualties have been confirmed, but five individuals are reported missing. A video captured the moment when the floodwaters swept away an entire building complex. Nepal remains on high alert as it continues to recover from catastrophic floods that occurred two months ago, which resulted in over 1,400 deaths and thousands missing. The recent flood occurred as communities prepared to celebrate the Dashain festival, a significant event in the Nepali calendar. More than 200 homes were damaged, affecting over 650 individuals, as reported by Nepal's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Some areas have been completely cut off and can only be accessed by air, according to a local official. The Nepalese army has deployed four helicopters for search and rescue operations. Many families have been forced to evacuate, facing uncertainty regarding shelter and essential supplies. Ganesh Karki, a resident of Jagatbagar, stated that he and others took refuge in a nearby forest after receiving an early warning about the flood. He expressed concern about returning home at night due to the flood's intensity. The flood resulted in the loss of approximately a dozen houses and several suspension bridges, while a hydroelectric project sustained damage, with some construction equipment swept away. Officials noted that the river's water levels rose from two meters (6 feet 5 inches) to nearly 8.5 meters (27 feet 9 inches) in just a few hours. Binod Parajuli, a meteorologist with the Nepalese government, mentioned that their hydrological station was destroyed, preventing data collection from that area. The cause of the latest flood remains unclear, with some suggesting a landslide may have blocked the river, while others reported an ice avalanche upstream. Save the Children is mobilizing an emergency team to respond to the flood's impact. Tara Chettry, the charity's director in Nepal, stated that children's lives have been disrupted once again, and the full extent of the damage is yet to be assessed. Many children in Gorkha are still recovering from the previous floods in August. The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River, which is downstream from another tributary affected by a glacier collapse that caused the earlier disaster. Nepal is susceptible to various natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides, and floods, due to the unpredictable environment of the Himalayas. The August floods, which resulted in numerous fatalities, were attributed to an avalanche of rock and ice near Lantang Lirung mountain. Experts suggest that climate change, leading to accelerated glacier melting, is increasing the risk of such disasters, leaving local communities more vulnerable.