Huge landslide sends rock and soil cascading into Nepal's Chaulani River

Landslide Blocks River Flow

A huge landslide sent rock and earth crashing into the Chaulani River in Nepal’s Darchula District on Friday, temporarily blocking its flow and triggering warnings for communities downstream.

Footage shows tons of rock, soil and vegetation cascading down the mountainside, throwing up a vast dark cloud of dust and pulverised debris as the collapse surges towards the valley below.

The landslide struck near Bhattar in Api Himal Rural Municipality, in the mountainous Sudurpashchim Province. Local authorities later said the river had reopened and its flow had returned to normal, but nearby settlements remained at risk from further landslides.

Families Evacuated As Precaution

Ten families from the Bhattar settlement were moved to relatives’ homes as a precaution, according to Api Himal Rural Municipality chair Bhakt Singh Thekare Bohara.

Darchula Chief District Officer Bartaraj Paudel said residents along the river had been warned to remain cautious after the landslide disrupted its flow. The District Administration Office warned that any blockage could lead to sudden flooding if water built up behind it and then broke through.

Nepal Faces Further Disaster

The landslide comes just days after catastrophic flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa region, where a torrent of water, ice and debris tore through communities along the Bhote Koshi River on August 26.

At least 1,294 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Local authorities via The Kathmandu Post (TKP)