Officials are assessing losses after the Budhi Gandaki flood swept away houses, cut community links and disrupted key hydropower construction sites in Chumnubri Rural Municipality.
A flood in the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal’s Gorkha district has caused major damage to homes, bridges, roads and hydropower projects. At least 10 people are missing following the flood on Sunday morning.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The flood washed away around 35 houses in the Paiyun and Bagar areas of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3. Several other villages, including Jagat, Salleri, Dobhan and Ghattikhola, were also affected.
According to local officials, the flood destroyed six bridges, including two road bridges and four suspension bridges. The damaged bridges connected several villages and communities, making travel difficult.
The flood also damaged four hydropower projects in the area.
The 341-megawatt Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project was reported to be the worst affected. The flood washed away its main construction camp and some equipment.
The 24.5-megawatt Dobhan Khola Hydropower Project suffered damage to some houses in its camp area. The flood also washed away a temporary Bailey bridge.
Similarly, the 30.91-megawatt Yaru Khola Hydropower Project lost its Bailey bridge, along with construction materials and equipment.
The 16-megawatt Machha Khola Hydropower Project also suffered damage to its access road and a bridge leading to the project site.
The damage to roads and bridges may affect transport and construction work in the area.
Officials are continuing to collect details about the damage. The total financial loss and the time needed to repair the damaged infrastructure are not yet known.
Authorities are expected to assess the situation further as more information becomes available. How the flood occurred has not yet been confirmed. However, it may have been triggered by a landslide or a glacial lake burst upstream.
