At least eight persons were killed today in a massive landslide that blocked Sunkoshi river in Sindhupalchowk district in Nepal, turning the river into a lake and putting several villages at risk of flash floods.

A huge hill had suddenly collapsed at 2 am, burying 40 homes before dumping mud and stones into the Sunkoshi river at Mankha village, 75 km northeast of the capital Kathmandu, police spokesperson Ganesh K C said. After the river was blocked by the landslide, a big pond was created in the area and the people residing in the nearby villages ran away to safer places fearing for their lives. Eight bodies were recovered during a joint rescue operation carried out by army and police with the help of the local people, the official said.

A special team of the Nepal Army used explosives to break the dam like structure created due to the landslide and the river started to flow on its normal course, according to sources in the Nepal army headquarters.