Flash floods and hailstorms in Sani Bheri Rural Municipality-10, Arma, Rukum West district, Karnali Province, have swept away one house and damaged two others, killed 16 livestock, and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and crops, officials said. While no human casualties have been reported, the disaster has displaced families.
On the night of Ashoj 10 (September 26, 2026), heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and strong winds caused the Armakhola stream to swell rapidly, inundating the settlement. Ujwan Khadka’s family was forced to abandon their home and flee to safety as the floodwaters entered their village. Ward Chairperson Tikaram Khadka reported that Khadka’s house was completely swept away, along with valuables including one tola of gold jewelry, Rs 10,000 cash, utensils, and food grains. Additionally, one buffalo and 10 sheep and goats kept inside the house were lost.
Tikaram Khadka, the Ward Chairperson of Sani Bheri Rural Municipality-10, reported that the floods also destroyed two grocery stores belonging to Khadgabahadur Khadka and Bombahadur Bik. Ten water mills, a cattle shed owned by Gangaram Khadka along with three buffaloes, and two oxen belonging to Pancharam Dangi were also swept away by the raging waters.
Nishanraj Gautam, the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Rukum West, the highest administrative official in a district, provided an updated preliminary report on October 6, 2026. According to Gautam, one house was completely swept away, and two other houses were partially damaged and collapsed in Arma, Sani Bheri Rural Municipality-10. The floods and hailstorms also killed a total of 16 livestock, including seven goats, three male goats, two oxen, and four buffaloes. Two drinking water tanks were damaged, and hailstones caused significant damage to local paddy crops.
Official Response and Assessment
CDO Gautam, who assumed office on May 17, 2026, stated that government mechanisms were immediately mobilized upon receiving information about the incident. He confirmed that he was personally en route to the site to assess the situation. The District Police Office Rukum West also dispatched a team to the remote area early this morning to gather further details. However, the current role of Bed Paudel as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) at the District Police Office Rukum West could not be independently confirmed. Authorities have confirmed that no human casualties have been reported so far.
Background and Ongoing Challenges
The flash floods were triggered by approximately three hours of continuous heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and strong winds on the night of Ashoj 10 (September 26, 2026). The torrential downpour caused seasonal streams to overflow and rush into residential areas. The impact was exacerbated by pre-existing damage to homes and other structures from previous earthquakes, making them more vulnerable to the heavy rains and floods.
In a related development, continuous rainfall on Ashoj 10 and 11 (September 26 and 27, 2026) has also led to erosion by the Sani Bheri River, putting homes in the Kunakhet settlement of Bafikot Rural Municipality at risk. Sani Bheri Rural Municipality, under the leadership of Chairperson Birkha Bahadur Bist and Vice-Chairperson Kamala Roka Pun, has announced its policies and programs for the fiscal year 2083/084 (2026/27). While these may include disaster response and reconstruction plans, specific details have yet to be made public.
Discrepancies and Future Plans
There are some discrepancies between the initial damage reports from Ward Chairperson Tikaram Khadka and the updated preliminary information from CDO Nishanraj Gautam. The CDO’s report did not explicitly detail the current status of the 10 water mills, two grocery stores, one shed, one tola of gold jewelry, Rs 10,000 cash, utensils, and food grains mentioned in the initial reports. The full economic cost of the damage is still being assessed, and detailed plans for relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction for the affected families have not yet been announced. The Rukum West district administration continues to gather comprehensive damage reports and information regarding the situation in the affected areas.
