Nepal on alert as fresh flood threat looms along Budhi Gandaki River

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has issued a flood warning for areas along the Budhi Gandaki River, urging people to stay away from the river up to Trishuli Dobhan until the flood passes.In a post on X, the authority said, "A large flood is coming from Chumanuwmi Rural Municipality-6 of the Budhi Gandaki River, so until the flood passes, do not go near the river up to Trishuli Dobhan. Stay in high places."The latest warning comes after the devastating Bhotekoshi floods in late August, which have claimed more than 1,400 lives and left over 6,000 people missing, according to authorities.The disaster, which began on August 26 in riverside settlements in Rasuwa district, quickly affected neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading districts.The floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including eight operational hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 281 MW and four projects under construction with a total capacity of 388 MW.Major sections of the Galchhi-Betrawati-Rasuwagadhi road and the Prithvi Highway were also destroyed or severely damaged. The disaster further affected 48 suspension bridges and 31 motorable bridges.Earlier, Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah used his address to the UN General Assembly to highlight the growing risks facing the Himalayan region. He also thanked India and China for their “prompt and generous assistance” following the August disaster.Shah said rising temperatures were destabilising the fragile Himalayan ecosystem by thawing permafrost and weakening mountain slopes.He warned that this was increasing the risk of ice-rock avalanches, floods, landslides and other cascading hazards.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.