A flash flood tore through the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal's Gorkha district early on Sunday morning, sweeping away several houses in the Manaslu region and forcing residents along the river to move to higher ground.
Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said he was informed of the major flood at 4:35 am. Five to seven houses in the riverbed at Jagat were swept away, and officials fear a few more downstream may also have been lost. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.
Landslide may have triggered the surge
Early reports pointed to a landslide above Siuribas. Chumnubri Rural Municipality Chair Nima Lama said the landslide blocked the Chumke Khola stream, and the flood followed. Chief administrative officer Narayan Sapkota said officials suspect the river's flow may have been blocked at Chekampar, where a landslide-formed dam may have broken and sent a surge downstream. This has not been confirmed.
Local officials said the river began rising sharply from about 4 am, its flow audible from far away, carrying mud, debris and large boulders.
Alerts and evacuations
At 6:40 am, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority sent SMS alerts from its Flood Forecasting Section, telling people not to go near the river until the flood passes — all the way down to Trishuli Dobhan — and to stay in high places. The Area Police Office in Arughat issued a safety advisory, and officials used loudspeakers to warn riverside residents.
Residents of downstream settlements including Sallery, Jagat Bazaar, Chumling and Lokpa moved to safer ground as the water rose. Mishra said preparations were under way to send a Nepali Army helicopter to survey the situation from the air.
Sources:
- Indian Express: Flash Flood Updates — Gorkha's Chumnubri (Oct 11, 2026)
Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra said he was informed of the major flood at 4:35 am. Five to seven houses in the riverbed at Jagat were swept away, and officials fear a few more downstream may also have been lost. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.
Landslide may have triggered the surge
Early reports pointed to a landslide above Siuribas. Chumnubri Rural Municipality Chair Nima Lama said the landslide blocked the Chumke Khola stream, and the flood followed. Chief administrative officer Narayan Sapkota said officials suspect the river's flow may have been blocked at Chekampar, where a landslide-formed dam may have broken and sent a surge downstream. This has not been confirmed.
Local officials said the river began rising sharply from about 4 am, its flow audible from far away, carrying mud, debris and large boulders.
Alerts and evacuations
At 6:40 am, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority sent SMS alerts from its Flood Forecasting Section, telling people not to go near the river until the flood passes — all the way down to Trishuli Dobhan — and to stay in high places. The Area Police Office in Arughat issued a safety advisory, and officials used loudspeakers to warn riverside residents.
Residents of downstream settlements including Sallery, Jagat Bazaar, Chumling and Lokpa moved to safer ground as the water rose. Mishra said preparations were under way to send a Nepali Army helicopter to survey the situation from the air.
Sources:
- Indian Express: Flash Flood Updates — Gorkha's Chumnubri (Oct 11, 2026)
