Flooding in the Budhi Gandaki river swept away several houses and bridges in northern Gorkha on Sunday morning, forcing residents and tourists to flee to safety.

Ram Kumar Gurung, ward chair of Chumnubri Rural Municipality-3, said the flood swept away houses in Salleri, Paiyuka and the riverbed at Jagat, as well as a suspension bridge connecting the ward.

“The flood came early in the morning, and we could not even take out our belongings,” he said. “Everyone fled as soon as we heard the flood was coming.”

The full extent of the damage was not yet known, he said.

Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Gorkha’s chief district officer, said preliminary reports indicated that a landslide had occurred above Siuribas. No casualties had been reported so far, he said.

The cause of the sudden surge remained unclear. Local residents suspect that the Syar stream, a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki between Lokpa and Chumling in Chumnubri-6, may have been blocked, triggering the flood.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the flood had also swept away the bridge linking Nyakchet and Philim bazaar in Chumnubri-3. With the river continuing to rise, helicopters had been deployed for rescue operations, relief distribution and evacuations, he said.

Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and local authorities were mobilised to carry out rescue and relief operations.

Residents in riverside settlements, including Chumling and Lokpa, fled their homes after hearing loud roaring sounds from the streams from around 4am. Tourists staying at local hotels also fled, residents said.

Sherap Gurung, a resident of Lokpa, said the sound suggested that the water flow had repeatedly stopped and resumed.

“Because it was dark, we could not tell whether the stream had been blocked or a landslide had occurred. It had not rained either,” he said.

Residents reported that the Budhi Gandaki’s flow continued to fluctuate on Sunday. Authorities were using loudspeakers to warn people living along the river and urge them to move to safer locations. Home Minister Gurung also asked those requiring emergency assistance to contact the Home Ministry’s hotline, 1234.

The story has been updated.