Kathmandu, October 11
The Nepali Army said a dry landslide blocked the Budhigandaki River in upper Gorkha. The blockage later burst, triggering a silt-laden flash flood.
According to information a Nepali Army official gave to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the Budhigandaki River at Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3 in Gorkha was blocked by a landslide on Sunday morning, and a flood laden with silt came when the blocked section opened.
The Number 3 Brigade Headquarters received preliminary information at 5:55 am today that the Budhigandaki River had been blocked.
The Rudradhwaj Battalion stationed in Gorkha then dispatched a reconnaissance team from Security Post Bangsingh at 6:15 am. That team confirmed a dry landslide at a place called Philim in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3.
Based on this Nepali Army report, the preliminary assessment is that the dry landslide blocked the flow, which later opened and caused the flood.
An aerial photo of the upper area received by Onlinekhabar also shows gravel flowing through a deep, narrow gorge. A landslide appears to have come down beside the gorge.
Authority Chief Executive Officer Dharma Raj Upreti says the nature of the present Budhigandaki flood looks similar to the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood that came on August 26. The origin of the flood, however, is still unclear.
Video footage shows a black flood carrying silt, mud and gravel in the Budhigandaki. He said efforts are underway to establish the exact cause.
“Our team has been mobilised to the upper area of the Budhigandaki with a drone,” Upreti said. “The real cause will be found shortly.”
The Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood came after a large part of a glacier fell in the Tibet region. That flood caused heavy human loss, whereas no human casualties have been reported from the Budhigandaki flood so far. Physical damage has occurred, though.
The flood washed away the old suspension bridge connecting Nyakchet in Chumanubri Rural Municipality-3 to Sirdibas and the suspension bridge connecting Machhikhola in Dharche Rural Municipality-5 to Keroja. One part of the permanent bridge connecting Dhading via Gorkha-Arughat, on the Gorkha side, has also been washed away.
Preliminary details received say the flood swept away the powerhouse of the Budhigandaki hydropower project under construction at Sallery in Dharche Rural Municipality-3, along with 8 to 10 houses nearby.
The flood also washed away one mud-built house, entered eight houses and eight sheds, and left 22 houses at risk, the details say.
A Nepali Army helicopter has safely rescued six people from Jagat in Chumnubri-3.
