KATHMANDU: A total of 36 people have been rescued so far in the Nepal Army's counteraction following the flooding along the Budhi Gandaki River basin in Gorkha District. According to the Nepali Army, the 36 rescued include one foreigner.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said that at least five people remain missing after a massive landslide blocked the Budhigandaki River between Lokpa and Chhumling in Nepal's Gorkha district on Sunday morning, triggering severe debris-laden flooding that swept away critical infrastructure and homes. The destructive flood surge swept through multiple settlements along the Budhigandaki riverbed, destroying vital transportation and energy infrastructure across the region. Among the major structural losses, the surge washed away a section of the concrete bridge connecting Gorkha's Arughat to Dhading. Multiple suspension bridges, including the structure connecting Nyakchetat to Sirdibas and the Machhikhola-Kerauja footbridge, were destroyed alongside an iron concrete bridge at Sotima.
Energy and industrial installations suffered severe damage as well, as floodwaters swept away the main camp area and equipment belonging to the 381-Megawatt Budhigandaki Project. Additionally, two telephone towers and 50 electricity poles were damaged, while floodwaters inundated lower Machhikhola, leaving 20 to 22 homes at immediate risk. (ANI)