• Flash floods in central Nepal prompted evacuations, with at least five people reported missing.
• Authorities warn of significant damage, including swept away homes and infrastructure.
• Rescue operations ongoing, with the army deploying helicopters to assist stranded villagers.

Authorities in Nepal urged residents along the Budhi Gandaki River to evacuate on Sunday after a massive flood swept through the area, destroying homes and infrastructure. While officials reported at least five people missing, there were no immediate reports of casualties. A landslide in the Gorkha district, approximately 100 kilometers west of Kathmandu, blocked the river, which led to the flooding downstream, according to Channel News Asia and Los Angeles Times.

The flood caused extensive destruction, washing away around three dozen houses as well as multiple bridges and damaging a critical hydropower construction site. "We have asked villagers living along the riverbanks downstream to evacuate and remain safe," stated Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, a senior bureaucrat in Gorkha. Evacuations and alerts were issued for nearby districts including Tanahun and Chitwan, as officials assessed the impact and initiated search and rescue operations, according to Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

As rescue efforts continue, the Nepali army has deployed helicopters and ground troops to evacuate stranded individuals. They successfully rescued approximately 49 people by Sunday afternoon, with ongoing operations aimed at finding missing persons. The flood followed a recent history of severe flooding in the region, killing hundreds in August and leaving the country still recovering, as stated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) in multiple reports, including that from Channel News Asia, Al Jazeera, and Los Angeles Times.