Thousands relieved as landslide dammed Nepal river resumes flow

The danger of a possible flash flood in Nepal and India was averted on Monday as a landslide dammed river started flowing normally after sweeping away debris that had blocked it, allowing thousands of people to return to their homes.

The KaliGandakiRiver, which was blocked by the landslide on Saturday, started flowing after 16 hours of blockage, according to officials.

“The area is now out of danger,” Chief District Officer of Myagdi, Tek Bahadur KC, said.

People in Nepal's Myagdi district and surrounding areas, who had fled to safety, were returning home.

The perceived danger of downstream flooding has been averted for the time being, Bahadur said. The river has been blocked at Baisari as a massive “dry landslide” fell along the Beni-Jomsom Road. “There are no human casualties. The police had evacuated some 125 people from the village and thousands other villagers had moved to safer places after the blockage,” Bahadur informed.

“There is no significant damage to property too,” he said. Kali Gandaki flows in central Nepal and northern India.

It is formed by the union of the Kali and Trisuli rivers. It flows southwest into India and then turns southeast along the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar state border and across the Indo-Gangetic Plain as Gandak. A number of landslides have hit Nepal since the 7.9 magnitude earthquake on April 25 which killed nearly 9,000 people and injured thousands more. It was followed by a 7.3 magnitude quake on May 12 and around 260 aftershocks.