Budhigandaki flood victims struggle to find shelter
Summary
Floods along the Budhigandaki river in Gorkha have displaced hundreds of villagers after more than 200 homes were swept away and key roads, bridges and trekking routes were destroyed. With ground access cut off, victims are relying on helicopters for rescue, relief and shelter while several people remain missing.
Key Points
- More than 200 homes were damaged or swept away by floods and landslides along the Budhigandaki river in northern Gorkha and nearby Dhading.
- Roads, footpaths, bridges and a section of the Manaslu trekking trail were destroyed, leaving settlements isolated and forcing relief efforts to depend on helicopters.
- Hundreds of displaced villagers are staying with relatives, on verandas, in sheds and churches while facing urgent shortages of drinking water, food and shelter.
- At least five people tending cattle near the landslide site remain missing, and trekkers on the Manaslu circuit have been stranded or evacuated by air.
