South and West hardest hit due to flooding

By 10th October evening a more complete picture of the extensive damage caused by the 5th October floods across the country has emerged.

These floods caused extensive damage to bridges, roads, farm infrastructure, and residential structures.

3 people are likely dead as two persons are reported missing in Haa Dzongkhag due to flash floods in Sertena, Gakiling Gewog and one was washed away in Kazhi in Wangduephodrang.

1 body from Haa was recovered on 6 October 2025 from Cooch Bihar

The southern and western regions, particularly Samtse, Chukha, Haa, and Dagana were among the most severely affected.

31 Bridges washed away or damaged

Multiple bridges either sustained structural damages or have been completely washed away. The 31 bridges are 17 bailey bridges, six suspension bridges, three culvert bridges, three wooden bridges and three private bailey bridges.

Samtse lost  1 Bailey bridge and 1 Culvert bridge on the Jiti Khola with one more bailey bridge damaged over the same river in Sangnagcholing Gewog. Samtse also lost the Denchukha Bailey bridge and Damji-Denchukha Suspension bridge under Denchuk Gewog.

The Dzongkhag lost the Namchu Bailey bridge in Dumtey Gewog. The Ngangladrang Suspension bridge under Norbugang was washed away.

The Kuchi–Diana Bailey bridge in Ugyentse, Samtse was damaged.  

In Gakiling gewog, Haa the Somchu Wooden bridge, Amochu Bailey bridge (private), Somchu Bailey bridge, Pungthrachu Bailey bridge (private), Titim Bailey bridge (private),  Sherchu Bailey bridge, Babuna Culvert bridge, Somchu Suspension bridge (near Thangdokha) and Sertena Suspension bridge were all washed away. Lamjeygang Wooden bridge, in Samar, Haa was also washed away.

In Bongo, Chukha Getanachu Bailey bridge was washed away while Toktogom Bailey bridge, was damaged.  

In Phuentsholing the Pachu–Lingdhen Bailey bridge, was washed away while the Nyechu Bailey bridge was damaged.  

The Jigmechu–Pipping suspension bridge, in Darla was damaged and Chiyuel–Pangserla Bailey bridge, in Getena was washed away.  

In Logchina, Chukha the Tomichu Bailey bridge and Hatigar Bailey bridg were washed away.  

The Menlungpa Bailey bridge in Metakha was washed away.  

In Wangduephodrang the Wooden bridge in Ekerwog, Gangtey was damaged and the Ula Bailey bridge, in Rubisa, was washed away.

In Bumthang the Menchugang Suspension bridge in Chokhor, was damaged and the Jakar crematorium Culvert bridge in Chokhor, was washed away.  

11 highways and dzongkhag roads closed or blocked

Many major highways and dzongkhag roads were closed or blocked; agencies had restored connectivity on some stretches but many remained closed to vehicular movement.

Thimphu–Phuentsholing (Damchu–Chukha bypass) had multiple roadblocks reported along the stretch and this bypass is closed.   

Trongsa–Gelephu highway has a roadblock at chainage 15 km from Gelephu (boxcut) and is expected to be cleared by 12:00 PM Saturday.

The Dorokha–Phutsena highway has multiple roadblocks at Namchukhola due to washaway of bridge and RCC culvert and is closed.  

The Lhamoizingkha–Dagapela highway has multiple roadblocks including at chainage 46.1 (Samarchu) due to washout of road base width.  

The Haa–Samtse highway has multiple roadblocks between the stretch.  

The Khamana–Sombayama Dzongkhag road has roadblocks along the stretch.  

Somhaykha Dungkhag–Gakidling Dzongkhag road (Haa Dzongkhag) has multiple roadblocks between the stretch.  

Tshangkha Dzongkhag road (Dagana Dzongkhag) has roadblock at the stretch  and expected to open at 5 PM by Friday.  

Getena Dzongkhag road (Chukha Dzongkhag) has multiple roadblocks along the stretch. 

Ganglakha–Dungna Dzongkhag road (Chukha Dzongkhag) has multiple roadblocks due to Tomichu and Malamchu bridge washaways.  

Denchukha Dzongkhag road (Samtse Dzongkhag) has roadblocks due to washing of Denchukha bailey suspension bridge.  

Damages to electricity and telephone connectivity

Electricity and telephone services were disrupted nationwide. Power outages were reported in 28 locations. BPC personnel restored electricity fully in 18 locations, partially in 6, while 4 locations remained under blackout at the time of the report.

Areas still under blackout are Haa’s Sombeykha and Gakeling, Thimphu’s 11 kV Tsheluna feeder, Samtse’s Denchukha and  Phuentsholing’s Toorsa, Metakha and Dungna.

The ones that are partly restored are  Paro, Soe and Lingzhi, Laya, Samtse, Dorokha, Tendruk and Norgaygang and rural areas in Samtse and Gomtu, Tsirang towards Gosarling and part of Semjong and Gedu Gurungdara  and Chungkha feeder.  

Out of 236 sites initially reported without service, the report noted 22 Bhutan Telecom (BT) sites and 18 TashiCell (TCell) sites still without connectivity. These are areas in Thimphu, Chukha, Haa, Gasa, Samtse, Gelephu, Tsirang, Sarpang, Phuentsholing, Zhemgang and Wangdue.

Agriculture and livestock damages

In Dagana there are 2 oxen dead, Samtse saw  65 pigs; 15 cows; 167 layer birds; 14 goats; 50 local poultry dead. Tsirang saw 3 fishery ponds destroyed.  Haa saw 1 calf dead and Chhukha lost  1 fishery pond, 2 bee hives damaged and 7 goats are dead.  

Floods damaged paddy fields, cardamom, orange orchards and vegetable gardens. The combined damage across dzongkhags are 20.08 acres maize: 19.72 acres paddy; 27.15 acres cardamom; 1.84 acres  and 78 trees oranges; and additional minor crop categories.

The affected Dzongkhags are Dagana, Chukha, Tsirang, Bumthang, Samtse, Wangduephodrang, Zhemgang and Paro.

Damages to houses and public structures by Dzongkhag

 Samtse saw one house washed away in Kyidsa, Norbugang and drinking water source of Norbugang Higher Secondary School was damaged.  

Chukha saw a one-storied house damaged in Dungna and another one-storied house damaged in Logchina.  

Haa saw two mining camps washed away in Sertena, Gakiling and one bungalow was completely damaged in Anakha, Sangbay.  

In Bumthang a toilet and bedroom of one house was damaged in Jambay Lhakhang, Choekhor and a kitchen partially damaged in Norbugang, Choekhor.  

In Punakha the retaining wall of farm road was washed away in Zobesa, Kabjisa.  

Wangduephodrang saw irrigation channel and RWSS washed away in Bjena and a RWSS source also washed away in Beldrog, Kazhi.  

Tsirang saw the roof of a dining hall blown off in Patshaling PS, kitchen roof was damaged in Neymedsa, Rangthangling and one kitchen collapsed in Tsholingkhartoed PS, Tsholingkhar.  

In Zhemgang the roof of one house was blown off in Phangkhar and the Dzongdag’s residence was partially damaged in Zhemgang town, Trong.  

In Dagana the drinking water source for Daga Throm and Dzong area was completely washed away. One house collapsed in Lhaling, Kana; one retaining wall was damaged and one house rooftop blown off in Norbuling, Tashidhing; One house was damaged in Akhochen, Khebisa and the retaining wall of a house was damaged in Gangzur, Tsendagang.  

In Paro there was a protection wall collapse in Ringpung Dzong, ; retaining wall collapsed in Eutok Goenpa; boundary wall collapsed and there are major cracks on the main entrance gate of Gewog Office, Naja.

Approximately 500 metres of irrigation channel was destroyed in Jeebji-Loonchena, Dotey; River protection wall and concrete footpath with railing were affected in Phakilo, Hungrel; steps leading towards Lhakhang entrance collapsed in Gomdralo Gonpa in Shaba ; inundation of ECCD structures and chain-link boundary fencing was damaged in Tsendona, Lango; debris caused collapse of a private structure (hut) in Jazhina, Singoen, Naja.  

In Phuentsholing Thromde 56 stockyards were damaged in Amochu, Phuntsholing Throm and the Workforce Management Centre premise was affected in Amochu.  

Equipment

16 excavators, 30 trucks, 11 light vehicles, 9 motornikes and 5 crusher plans were damaged due to the floods.