Landslide-dam burst triggers flood in Budhigandaki: ICIMOD's preliminary finding

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has concluded in a preliminary assessment that Sunday's flash flood in Gorkha's Budhigandaki River occurred after a temporary dam, formed when a landslide blocked the river, burst.

According to ICIMOD, a landslide near Chumchet in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-6 of Gorkha had temporarily blocked the Budhigandaki River. ICIMOD's preliminary assessment is that the flash flood occurred after this landslide-formed temporary dam burst.

This flood in the Budhigandaki, coming after the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa, has shown the risk that one natural process in the mountain region can trigger another disaster. Such successive disasters appear likely to further increase damage to life, property and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, as the flood's source remains unclear, the government has mobilized a team of three geologists to the affected area to identify the actual cause of the flood. The team will travel to the affected area to study the cause of the flood.