Fresh Floods Ravage Nepal: Homes, Bridges, and a Hydropower Plant in Chaos

A massive surge on the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal’s Gorkha district surged overnight, tearing through a valley and sending houses, suspension bridges and part of a hydroelectric plant into the water. The army has rescued around 50 people; five are still missing and no casualties have been recorded yet.

River level spiked from roughly 2 metres to a staggering 8.5 metres in a few hours, a dramatic rise that wiped out an entire building complex that had been under construction for a new power station. Experts say the flood was weaker and slower than the devastating August event, but it still caused significant damage.

Residents were preparing for the first day of the Dashain festival when the water surged. Families have been forced to flee their homes, facing uncertain shelter and lack of basic supplies. A hydroelectric construction site was literally carried away by the torrent, taking equipment and workers with it.

Scientists suspect a landslide or an ice‑avalanche upstream may have blocked the river, creating a temporary dam that burst. Local meteorologists confirm their hydrological station was destroyed, cutting off real‑time data.

Save the Children is on the ground, setting up an emergency response team. “Children’s lives have been ripped apart in an instant yet again,” says Tara Chettry, the charity’s director in Nepal. They are already working to help communities recover from the last flood’s trauma.

This disaster is part of Nepal’s ongoing struggle with unpredictable weather patterns. With climate change increasing the frequency of extreme events, the nation remains on high alert and desperately seeking help to rebuild and safeguard its communities.

For more on Nepal’s flood crisis, check out our interactive timeline and community stories on the SnapScope app.