On the morning of 5 May 2012, on a clear, dry day, a wall of muddy water suddenly surged down the Seti River north of Pokhara. It swept through the riverside settlement of Kharapani and nearby Sadal, where villagers, labourers quarrying sand and stone, pilgrims and visitors at the hot springs had no warning. Around 70 people were killed or went missing, including foreign trekkers.
In short: a landslide high in the Annapurna range near Machhapuchhre triggered a sudden flood on the Seti River on 5 May 2012, sweeping through Kharapani and Sadal. The final toll was around 72 dead or missing.
What caused it
Satellite images and later field research showed that a huge rock and ice avalanche high on the slopes of the Annapurna range had fallen into the upper Seti gorge, temporarily damming the river and then releasing a surge of water, mud and debris downstream. Because the day was sunny, nobody expected a flood.
Lessons for travellers
The Seti flood was an early warning of how sudden mountain floods can be, a pattern seen again in the 2025 and 2026 floods on the Bhotekoshi. When trekking or visiting riverside hot springs, follow local warnings, avoid riverbeds during heavy rain, and listen to your guide. See our 2026 flood report.