KATHMANDU — Authorities in Nepal urged communities along a central river system to evacuate Sunday after a landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River and released flooding that swept away homes, bridges and other infrastructure.

No deaths or injuries had been reported when Reuters published its latest update. Officials said the situation remained dangerous because muddy floodwater was still rising downstream.

Homes and bridges swept away

The landslide occurred near Chumnubri village in Gorkha district, about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu. The resulting flood destroyed about a dozen houses and two suspension bridges and damaged a hydroelectric-project camp, according to local officials.

A highway bridge connecting Gorkha with neighbouring Dhading district was also washed away, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority chief Dharam Raj Uprety told Reuters.

Rescues and evacuation warnings

Nepal's army rescued six people in Jagat who were at risk from another landslide, Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in a social-media post. Another 18 workers escaped from the damaged hydroelectric-project camp.

Disaster authorities issued warnings for communities in the Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan, East Nawalparasi and West Nawalparasi districts. Army and police rescue teams reached the area and were monitoring conditions from a helicopter.

The Budhi Gandaki is a tributary of the Trishuli River. In August, a glacier collapse on another tributary caused a catastrophic flood that killed 1,457 people and left thousands missing, according to Reuters.

Source: Reuters, published October 11 and updated with rescue details.

Lead image: flag of Nepal from Wikimedia Commons; public domain and not a photograph of the flood.