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Photo Credit: Ezra Acayan / Stringer (Getty Images)
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What you need to know
- A major flash flood struck northern Nepal on August 26th, destroying homes, roads, bridges and vital infrastructure.
- The flood was reportedly triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, sending mud, ice and rock into the Bhote Koshi River.
- At least 1,300 people have been killed and more than 5,000 are missing, with the death toll continuing to rise.
- Villages including Manakamana and Khadga Bhanjyang have been largely destroyed.
- An estimated 1.6 million people have been affected across five districts.
- More than 3,400 displaced people are living in temporary sites, many of them in schools.
- More than 20,000 personnel have been mobilised to support search and rescue efforts across affected areas.
- Damaged roads, destroyed bridges, remote mountain terrain and the risk of further flooding are making it difficult to reach affected communities.
What is happening in Nepal?
On August 26th, devastating flash floods swept through northern Nepal, affecting the districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading near the border with Tibet. Homes, roads, bridges and buildings were swept away, while key infrastructure, including power facilities, suffered significant damage. Communities across the mountainous region have been cut off, making rescue efforts and access to support more difficult.
The sudden and intense surge of water was reportedly caused by a glacier collapse around 5,200 metres high in the Himalayas, near the Nepal-Tibet border. Mud, ice and rock reportedly surged into the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibet side of the border, creating a powerful torrent that travelled downstream through communities in both Nepal and Tibet. Villages including Manakamana and Khadga Bhanjyang were among the hardest hit, with reports suggesting some settlements have been almost completely destroyed.
According to local authorities, at least 1,300 people have been killed, and more than 5,000 are missing. More than 600 of those missing are believed to be workers trapped within a network of mud-filled tunnels at hydropower sites along the Trishuli River.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) estimates that 1.6 million people have been affected across five districts. According to OCHA, more than 3,400 displaced people are living in 27 temporary sites across Nuwakot and Rasuwa, many of them in schools.
Government-led search and rescue efforts have mobilised more than 20,000 personnel across affected areas. Rescuers are relying heavily on helicopters as difficult terrain, persistently high flood waters and severe damage to roads and bridges continue to hamper rescue operations.
The floods have struck communities that were already among the most vulnerable in Nepal, where many people faced challenges accessing services, livelihoods and support before the disaster. Authorities have warned of continued flood risks, while experts have raised concerns about the potential for secondary flooding, adding further challenges to response and recovery efforts.
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How is ShelterBox responding?
ShelterBox is responding in Nepal. We are working with several partners to distribute aid items. We have already helped 460 families with our partner Islamic Relief and Rotary. We plan to help around 1,000 households in total.
We are working with PIN (People In Need) to import aid items into Nepal. These will include items like family tents, tarpaulins, ropes, and solar lights.
Helicopters will take these items to warehouses close to remote villages and difficult to access areas of the country.
Damaged roads and collapsed bridges continue to isolate upstream communities and severely restrict relief access. In several areas, helicopters remain the only way to reach affected people with life-saving assistance.
Nearly two weeks after the August 26th floods, operations are shifting from search and rescue to relief and recovery, though rescues continue.
Donate today to provide essential shelter aid for families who have lost their homes to the devastating floods.
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Aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal (2015). Image: Emily Whitfield-Wicks.
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Has ShelterBox responded in Nepal before?
ShelterBox responded in Nepal after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country in April 2015, destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and leaving many families without safe shelter. This was followed by a second major earthquake in May 2015.
Working alongside Rotary, Nepal Red Cross, Asal Chhimekee Nepal and other local partners, we supported almost 68,000 people with emergency shelter and essential aid items. We also provided training and technical guidance to help families use shelter kits and rebuild stronger, more durable homes.
The response highlighted the importance of both immediate shelter and longer-term recovery support, helping communities begin rebuilding their lives after one of Nepal’s deadliest disasters in recent history.
A ShelterBox team during our 2015 response in Nepal after the devastating earthquake.
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How to support people after disaster
When disaster strikes, families can lose their homes, belongings and sense of security in a matter of moments.
Your support helps ShelterBox provide emergency shelter and essential aid to people affected by disasters like floods in Nepal and around the world. It also helps us prepare before disaster happens, so support can reach families when they need it most.
Donate today and help ensure families have the shelter, safety and stability they need to begin recovering after disaster.
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