Two villages in ward 3 of Chumnubri Rural Municipality in Gorkha district have been cut off after the Budhigandaki river washed away a foot trail, leaving residents unable to travel either downstream or uphill towards Philim, the rural municipality’s administrative centre.
The flood has severed the routes connecting Jagat and Salleri, as well as the paths leading out of the two villages. Residents are now unable to move between the settlements or travel beyond them.
Salleri is about a 30-minute walk from Jagat. But since Sunday, residents of Jagat have been unable to reach Salleri, while those in Salleri cannot descend to Jagat. The flood has swept away the trail linking the villages, cutting off movement in both directions.
“There is no path left to get out of the village. The river has swept away the lower route, and there is no path uphill either. It is unlikely the route will reopen anytime soon,” said Ganesh Karki, a resident of Jagat. “We are stuck in between. The Budhigandaki is now flowing over the path we were walking on until just a few days ago.”
More than 100 tourists visiting the Manaslu region are unable to leave Jagat because of the damaged trail, Karki said.
Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri-3, said residents could not travel in either direction. He has also been unable to leave his home in Salleri since Sunday morning. “I have been stuck here since yesterday. There is no route to the rural municipality centre. How am I supposed to get there?” he said.
Some food supplies have been brought in by helicopter, Gurung said. Around 70 people, including labourers, hydropower project employees and residents, are currently in Salleri. “We are staying on the hillside in Salleri. Efforts are also underway to arrange a helicopter to take the workers down to Machhakhola,” he said.
Plans are also being made to evacuate tourists and workers unable to leave Jagat and Salleri by helicopter.
The damage to the foot trail has left residents of both villages facing difficulties. On Sunday, a Nepali Army helicopter rescued six people who had been trapped near Jagat Bagar after the route was washed away.