Kathmandu, Oct. 11 -- A landslide and the possible breach of a temporary river blockage may have triggered a flash flood in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki river system early Sunday, according to a Kathmandu-based intergovernmental organisation.
The flood that struck Nepal around 4 am local time swept away houses and bridges in Gorkha district and damaged hydropower infrastructure.
At least 10 people remain missing, while nearly 50 people have been rescued, according to Nepali authorities.
The flood may have been caused by the failure of a temporary blockage created by a landslide near Chumchet in Gorkha district, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said
in a statement, citing preliminary accounts from Nepal's authorities. Floodwaters carried mud, sediment and debris downstream along the Budhi Gandakicorridor, prompting authorities to warn communities along the Budhi Gandaki,
Trishuli and Narayani river systems as water levels fluctuated and risks increased. Initial reports indicate that people are missing, houses have been washed away, bridges lost and riverside infrastructure damaged.
Floodwaters also swept away a construction camp and equipment at the 341-MW Budhi Gandaki hydropower project in Salleri, although the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.