Flash flood in central Nepal destroys homes, bridges

A powerful flash flood tore down a river in the highlands of central Nepal on Sunday, sweeping away dozens of homes and damaging infrastructure including roads, bridges and at least one hydropower plant, officials said.

The flood on the Budhi Gandaki river was triggered by a landslide upstream, causing a sudden rise in the water level, according to Nepal police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle.

"Several homes and infrastructure were destroyed or damaged, but there has been no report of deaths or missing people as of now," Kafle told dpa. Local media have reported at least five people missing.

Videos circulating on social media showed settlements and bridges being carried away by the debris-laden flood waters.

Authorities have airlifted several stranded families out of the danger zone, while hundreds others living downstream were also moved to safety.

The national disaster agency issued a red alert for people living downstream.

The Budhi Gandaki is part of the Trishuli-Narayani river system, which was hit by devastating flash floods in Bhotekoshi river earlier this year. The floods in late August in Nepal and Tibet killed about 1,450 people and left more than 4,500 missing.