More than 100 foreign trekkers stranded after floods damage Nepal’s Manaslu trail

More than 100 foreign trekkers were stranded at different points on Nepal’s Manaslu trail on Monday, October 12, after a flood in Gorkha district damaged roads and bridges, according to a local conservation official cited by Al Jazeera’s Reuters reporting. Rescue teams were working to reach affected areas.

What caused the Gorkha flood

The flood struck on Sunday after a landslide blocked the Budhi Gandaki River. AFP said preliminary information indicated that the blockage burst, sending water downstream; the precise mechanism had yet to be established.

AFP reported that about 150 foreign trekkers were in the area, citing the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal. That figure describes trekkers in the area, while the more than 100 figure is an estimate of those stranded; neither establishes how many needed evacuation.

Rescues and damage along the Manaslu route

AFP reported that 95 people, including nine foreigners, were rescued on Sunday. Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said four helicopters were deployed on Monday as the search continued for five people reported missing. Al Jazeera, citing national disaster authorities, reported a separate Monday rescue total of 321 people, including 12 foreigners.

AFP reported that more than 200 houses and five bridges were swept away and that hydropower plants were damaged. In its initial assessment, the UN in Nepal said damage to bridges, roads and hydropower facilities had disrupted access and affected hundreds of households and livelihoods. It said the full impact was still being assessed.