Nepal floods leave ten missing as bridges collapse
Severe flash floods along the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal’s Gorkha District left at least ten people missing on Sunday morning, officials said.
Rising water ripped through the river basin, washing away six bridges and destroying dozens of homes, according to local authorities.
Assistant Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma reported that two motorable bridges at Arughat, Tripurasundari and Soti-Manbu collapsed, along with four suspension bridges. These structures had been essential for moving goods and people across the valley.
The loss includes a Bailey bridge that linked wards 1 and 3 of Dharche Rural Municipality, as well as footbridges connecting Machhikhola with Karauja, Thadobharyang with Jagat, and Ghattekhola with Philim. The destroyed footbridges had previously served as vital links for daily commuters and schoolchildren.
Nearly 35 houses in the Painyu and Bagar areas of Chumnubri Rural Municipality’s Ward 3 were swept away, and damage extended to residential zones in Jagat, Salleri, Dovan and Ghattekhola.
Prime Minister Balen Shah ordered a Nepali Army contingent to be deployed by land and air for search, rescue and relief, while helicopters evacuated stranded residents from the hardest-hit locations. Rescue crews continued to search for the ten missing individuals, focusing on the most severely affected wards.
A Joint Rapid Response Team was airlifted from Kathmandu, about 184 km away, to support the emergency effort; the army later confirmed six people had been moved to safety.
Home Minister Sudan Gurung warned that further severe flooding was possible as the river’s water level continued to rise. He shared a video of the bridge collapse connecting Nyakchet and Film Bazaar and noted that muddy floodwaters had entered some houses in the Ghattekhola area.
Gurung urged residents of the high-risk zones, including Sirdibas, Jagat, Salleri, Khorlabesi, Machhakhola, Soti, Arkhet and Arughat, to evacuate the riverbanks immediately and to contact the Ministry of Home Affairs on the 1234 hotline for assistance.
