A Landslide Dam Just Burst on the Budhi Gandaki, and It Is the River the Manaslu Trail Follows

A landslide dam on the Budhi Gandaki River burst on Sunday 11 October 2026, sending a flash flood through north-central Nepal that left at least five people missing, damaged four bridges and swept away about three dozen houses, according to the Associated Press. The army had rescued 49 people by Sunday afternoon. The Budhi Gandaki is the river the Manaslu Circuit follows for its first days, so anyone with that trek booked should read the checklist below before they fly.

What happened on the river on 11 October

The flood came from a blocked river letting go. AP reports a landslide first dammed the Budhi Gandaki near Chumchure, and when the dam breached the water surged downstream. Nepal's disaster authority evacuated villagers and told others to move to safer ground, and the army used helicopters and ground troops to pull stranded people out.

AP does not report any confirmed deaths. It does report at least five missing, so the toll may change. We are treating every figure here as provisional until Nepal's disaster authority publishes a final count.

Does this affect the Manaslu Circuit?

Probably yes for the lower valley, but no official trekking notice had been published when we checked. The AP report does not mention Manaslu or trekking at all. What we can say from the map is that the Manaslu trail climbs the Budhi Gandaki from the Arughat and Soti Khola area, so a flood on this river and damaged bridges are directly relevant to it.

This is also not the first problem on this valley this autumn. On 6 September a separate flood in the Therang Khola near Namrung in Gorkha destroyed a suspension bridge and four houses, and Gorkha's district administration suspended travel on the Manaslu Circuit and Larke Pass at the time, as reported by Ratopati and Online Khabar. We have not confirmed whether that suspension has since been lifted.

What to check if you have Manaslu booked

Ask your operator for written confirmation of the route status and the bridge crossings, not a general reassurance. Specifically ask three things: which bridges on your itinerary are standing, what the plan is if the road to the trailhead is cut at Arughat, and what the refund or rebooking terms are. A reputable operator will answer plainly, and one who will not is telling you something.

If you travel independently of an operator, remember Manaslu is a restricted area that needs a licensed guide and a permit, so the guide agency is your best source for live conditions. Check your insurance wording as well. Many policies exclude a destination once an official warning is in force, so buy cover before a problem is public, not after.

The wider picture and what we would do

Nepal is still recovering from the August flood on the China border that, according to AP, killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing. The government puts rebuilding at $4.77 billion, with nearly 33,000 people affected and about 7,500 homes damaged or destroyed. The prime minister's office has said search and rescue is ending and the focus is shifting to restoring roads and bridges.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nepal safe to visit right now?

Most of the country is operating normally, but this autumn's floods have been regional. Check the specific valley you plan to walk, not the country as a whole.

Should I cancel a Manaslu trek?

Do not cancel on your own before talking to your operator, because that can forfeit refunds. Ask for written route status and flexible rebooking first.

Planning an alternative? Our guides can talk you through the Annapurna Base Camp trek, or message us on WhatsApp.

Cover photo: Aaditya Hirachan via Pexels (Pexels License). Section photos: Kalifilms Digital Art Studio via Pexels (Pexels licence); Drinu Cutajar via Pexels (Pexels licence); Lu Li via Pexels (Pexels licence); Ghana Shyam Khadka via Pexels (Pexels licence); Namal Siriwardana via Pexels (Pexels licence).