Landslide triggers flash flood in central Nepal, sweeping away homes

A landslide in central Nepal has blocked a river and caused serious flooding downstream. The landslide happened on Saturday in Chumnubri village, about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu. It blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, and the water broke through on Sunday, sweeping away houses and bridges. Around 50 people were rescued from the affected areas, but five people are still missing. About a dozen homes were destroyed, and several suspension bridges collapsed. A camp for a hydroelectric project was also damaged, and heavy construction equipment was carried away by the water. A highway bridge connecting two districts was washed away. Nepal had catastrophic floods just two months ago that killed hundreds of people. Warning systems were damaged in that earlier disaster and did not give people enough time to prepare.