A flash flood on the Budhi Gandaki river in Gorkha district, Nepal, early on Sunday 11 October 2026 swept away houses and bridges and damaged a hydropower construction site. Four people living in a shed on the bank of the Ungilung river in Chumchet have been reported missing. Authorities had not confirmed any deaths or injuries at the time of reporting.
This article summarises what the Kathmandu Post and the government’s flood forecasting section have reported so far. The causes and the full extent of the damage are still being established, and the figures below may change.
What happened
According to the Kathmandu Post, the flood began in the early hours of Sunday. Residents and tourists began leaving for higher ground after hearing loud sounds from the Ugyulung and Syar rivers from around 4am, and water levels kept rising and falling.
Nepal Police said the flooding swept away two suspension footbridges and a steel bridge in Gorkha district and damaged houses in several settlements. The bridges included an old footbridge connecting Nyakchet and Sirdibas in Chumnubri-3, a footbridge connecting Machhakhola in Dharche-5 with Kerauja, and a steel bridge at Soti, which connects wards 2 and 3 of Aarughat Rural Municipality.
The Kathmandu Post also reported that the flood-swollen river swept away the bridge at Arughat, which links Dhading and Gorkha districts. Residents of Arughat Bazar living along the riverbank were moved to safer locations.
Damage reported so far
The reported damage is preliminary. Reports from local officials and reporters include:
- Houses: Several houses have been swept away or flooded. Gorkha’s chief district officer said five to seven houses in the riverbank settlement of Jagat had been swept away. Chumnubri-3 ward chair Ram Kumar Gurung said more than 10 houses in Salleri, Paiyun and Jagat Bagar were swept away.
- Homes at risk: Police said 20 to 22 houses in Salleri, Dharche-3, were at risk.
- Hydropower site: Floodwaters swept away the construction camp and some equipment at the site of the 341-megawatt Budhi Gandaki hydropower project in Salleri, Chumnubri-3.
- Missing people: Four people living in a shed on the banks of the Ungilung river in Chumchet, Chumnubri Rural Municipality-6, have been unaccounted for since early Sunday. Villagers were searching for them.
Possible cause
Authorities have not confirmed the cause. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s Flood Forecasting Section said satellite images showed a large landslide near Chumchet in Chumnubri Rural Municipality, believed to have occurred on Saturday. Hydrologist Binod Parajuli said the flooding may have been triggered when a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki that had been blocked by the landslide suddenly released its water.
Preliminary reports also point to a landslide above Sirdibas and a landslide that blocked the Syar river between Lokpa and Chumling. Residents have suggested an avalanche on Mount Shringi, but this has not been confirmed. The section said all explanations remain preliminary.
Risk further downstream
The flood forecasting section said the river’s flow continues to fluctuate. With water levels above the danger threshold, the Trishuli river corridor as far downstream as Benighat remains at very high risk of flooding. Authorities have urged people along the riverbanks around Mugling and further downstream in Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts to stay alert.
Frequently asked questions
Have people died in the Budhi Gandaki flood?
The Kathmandu Post reported that authorities had not confirmed any deaths or injuries at the time of its reporting. Four people have been reported missing.
What caused the Budhi Gandaki flood?
The cause has not been confirmed. Authorities suspect a landslide blocked a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki near Chumchet, and that the blockage later gave way.
Which areas are at risk downstream?
The Trishuli river corridor as far as Benighat is at very high risk, and authorities have warned residents around Mugling, Chitwan and Nawalparasi to stay alert.
Sources
- Kathmandu Post, “What we know so far about the damage caused by Budhi Gandaki floods,” 11 October 2026: kathmandupost.com
- Kathmandu Post, “Landslide may have triggered flash flooding in Budhi Gandaki, officials say,” 11 October 2026: kathmandupost.com
- Kathmandu Post, “Budhi Gandaki flood washes away three bridges in Gorkha,” citing Nepal Police, 11 October 2026: kathmandupost.com
- Kathmandu Post, “Four people unaccounted for after Budhi Gandaki floods,” 11 October 2026: kathmandupost.com
- Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Flood Forecasting Section, as quoted in the Kathmandu Post, 11 October 2026.
This article is based on preliminary news reports and will be updated as official figures are confirmed. For current warnings, follow the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and local district authorities.
