Wed, 14 October 2026
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Wed, 14 October 2026
By Guna Bahadur Roka, Gorkha (Sulikot), Oct. 14: Concerns are growing over possible food shortages in remote settlements of northern Gorkha after severe flooding in the Budhi Gandaki River damaged bridges and access routes, disrupting supplies.
Residents of Chumnubri Rural Municipality, which is not connected to the road network, depend on mules to transport daily essentials. Damage to transport routes has increased the risk of food shortages in these remote villages.
The Budhi Gandaki flood on Sunday, damaged settlements and infrastructure along the river. Earlier, floods in the Therang Khola and Budhi Gandaki rivers on September 6 swept away bridges at Namrung and Suksam, disrupting mule transport services in the Manaslu region. Mule movement was suspended after the trails became dangerous.
The mules stranded in Samagaun resumed operations after a month, following repairs to the trails. Although the transport service restarted on Friday, reducing the risk of shortages of food and other daily essentials, the October 11 flood washed away the transport routes again, raising fresh concerns over supplies.
Mule trader Bishnu Bahadur Gurung said the situation could become challenging if supplies were disrupted again.
Mules are the main means of transporting food, salt, cooking oil and other essential goods to dozens of villages in wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Chumnubri Rural Municipality. More than 1,000 mules are used to transport goods in the Chum and Nubri areas of northern Gorkha.
Floods and landslides frequently damage trails and bridges, disrupting transport and directly affecting the daily lives of local people.
Immediate repairs to damaged bridges and trails, safe access routes and long-term management of transport routes are needed to ensure a regular supply of food to remote settlements. Authorities need to take timely measures to prevent a possible food crisis, given the continuing risk of floods and landslides.
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