[kellyhound]

A massive landslide occurred yesterday, partially blocking the Chaulani River in the Bhattar area of the Api Himal Rural Municipality in Darchula District, Nepal.

Heavy monsoon rains triggered the disaster, forcing authorities to issue urgent evacuation orders for downstream communities due to the high risk of a flash flood if the debris dam bursts.

The landslide hit Bhattar, located near the southern slopes of the Api Himal range in far-western Nepal.

A massive wall of mud and rock choked the river. The flow was completely blocked for roughly 30 minutes before the water began cutting a narrow path through the debris. An unstable, temporary dam remains a threat.

While no immediate casualties or destroyed homes have been reported in the immediate aftermath, farmland was washed away.

Local police and security forces have evacuated 10 to 15 high-risk families and their livestock to safer, higher ground.

Authorities have placed riverside settlements in lower Darchula and surrounding areas on high alert, warning residents to stay away from the riverbanks.