Flash Flood Sweeps Away Salleri Bazaar in Gorkha

A major flood in the Budhi Gandaki River has swept away Salleri Bazaar and caused extensive damage in Jagat Bazaar in Gorkha’s Chumnubri Rural Municipality, according to local reports.

Local resident Bishal Ghale said the flood swept away Salleri Bazaar and caused significant damage to Jagat Bazaar.

The extent of the destruction and any casualties have yet to be independently confirmed.

The sudden surge in the river’s flow early Sunday morning is suspected to have been triggered by a possible landslide that blocked the river at Chhekampar in Chumnubri Rural Municipality.

A dry landslide may have temporarily obstructed the river, causing water to accumulate and subsequently surge downstream. However, the cause has not yet been officially confirmed.

Chumnubri Rural Municipality Vice-Chairperson Laxmi Gurung said the river’s water level rose sharply early in the morning, accompanied by a loud rumbling sound. As the flood moves downstream, residents living along the riverbanks and in other vulnerable areas have been urged to move immediately to safer, higher ground.

Expert Ujjwal Upadhyaya also reported the sudden flooding, noting that no rainfall had been reported in the upper catchment area, leaving the cause of the surge uncertain. Downstream communities along the Budhi Gandaki River, as well as settlements near the Trishuli River from Benighat in Dhading to Mugling, have been urged to remain on high alert.

Authorities and residents in potentially affected areas are urged to exercise extreme caution, avoid riverbanks and flood-prone locations, and remain alert to further developments as the flood moves downstream.