A massive landslide triggered by heavy rains in north-east Nepal on Saturday has killed at least eight people, injured 40, buried dozens of homes and stoked fears of flash floods, officials said. The landslide created a mud dam blocking the Sunkoshi river near Jure in the Sindhupalchowk district, about 60 kms (37 miles) north-east of Kathmandu, heightening fears of downstream floods that could reach as far as Bihar in eastern India.
Home ministry officials said eight bodies have been recovered so far from the debris of collapsed houses and search and rescue operations were under way. Army helicopters have taken seven injured, including a Belgian national, for treatment in Kathmandu, Nepal's army spokesman, Jagadish Pokharel, said.
The Sunkoshi river is popular for white water rafting, which is not normally done during the rainy season. Pokharel said soldiers have started opening the dam by setting off two controlled blasts to release water to avoid flash floods. "It is very serious. We are very much concerned about the consequences if it causes massive floods," he added. A home ministry official said the foreign ministry had been asked to request neighbours China and India to help open the dam in a controlled way.
"We need logistic supports like equipment to open the dam, expert advice as to how it could be broken down and how to avoid major downstream disasters in case the water gets suddenly released," another home (interior) ministry official, Yadav Koirala, told Reuters.
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