A major river flood swept away homes and bridges in central Nepal on Sunday and damaged a hydropower station, prompting rescue operations in the affected areas.

Nepal’s army rescued around 50 people along the Budhi Gandaki River in Gorkha district, while five people were reported missing and no deaths were immediately announced.

Officials said about a dozen homes and several suspension bridges were destroyed, and construction equipment was carried away by the floodwaters.

The cause of the flooding remains unclear, with experts suggesting a landslide may have blocked the river before the water suddenly burst through, while others reported a possible ice avalanche upstream, UPI has reported.

The disaster comes as Nepal continues recovering from catastrophic flooding in August that killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing, raising fresh concerns as communities prepare for the Dashain festival.