KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepalese military rescuers on Monday reached villages hit by a flash flood the previous day, delivering aid and evacuating residents and tourists. At least five people are missing in an area popular with hikers and tourists
Helicopters and soldiers brought food and other relief supplies to communities along the Budhi Gandaki River in north-central Nepal. No deaths have been reported.
The government said an early warning allowed
most people to reach higher ground before the flood struck.
Sunday’s flood followed a landslide that blocked the river near Chumchure village. The floodwaters damaged or destroyed five bridges, construction sites for three hydropower plants, and dozens of houses and farms.
Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha district’s chief government administrator, said more than 200 people were evacuated on Monday.
High winds halted helicopter flights in the afternoon, but they will resume Tuesday to deliver relief supplies, Mishra said. Extensive road damage means helicopters will continue supplying villages cut off by the flooding, he added.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said earlier on Monday that those rescued included nine foreigners, who were taken to nearby towns.
The affected area includes popular trekking routes, and October is one of the busiest months for visitors.
Among those rescued was Chinese tourist Weiwei Zhao, who had been trekking with a friend but turned back because of heavy snowfall.
“In the morning time we heard a very loud earthquake like voice (sound) but later we know that what happened in front of our path,” she said.
Trucks were carrying food, tents, medicine and other supplies to communities accessible by road, while army helicopters delivered aid to remote mountain villages.
The Budhi Gandaki flows into the Trishuli River and is a key waterway near Kathmandu, the capital.
Videos on social media showed houses and sheds being swept away by the swollen river as it surged between steep mountains. It was not immediately clear how many villages had been affected.
Nepal is still recovering from a devastating flood that swept through the mountainous Nepal-China border region in August, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and thousands missing.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s office announced an end to search and rescue operations on Oct. 5 as recovery efforts shifted toward repairing infrastructure.
