Last week, a devastating flood swept through Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot Districts and communities downstream, leaving behind an enormous loss of life and widespread destruction.
On August 26, a massive collapse of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a surge of water, mud, and debris into the Bhote Koshi River. The flood traveled downstream through the Trishuli river system destroying homes, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, and other critical infrastructure along the way.
As of September 1st, Nepali authorities have reported 1,003 deaths, with more than 3,916 people still unaccounted for. More than 10,000 people have been rescued and rescue personnel are searching for survivors and recovering those who were lost.
An update from our team in Nepal
Our Nepal team reports that the effects of the disaster are continuing to unfold. Hydropower facilities were among the infrastructure damaged, and rescue teams are working to reach workers who were inside tunnels when the flooding began.
Continued monsoon rainfall has also brought new flooding. While these more recent floods have not had the same sudden force as the initial flash flood, they have caused additional damage. Our team reports that sections of a major highway connecting to Kathmandu have been washed away, with an estimated two to three kilometers of road missing.
The response across Nepal has been significant and rapid. Government agencies, local Nepali organizations, international humanitarian organizations, and other partners have mobilized resources for immediate relief and recovery. The Government of Nepal has also appealed for support for the emergency response and longer-term rehabilitation in the affected communities.
Nepal on the frontlines of a changing climate
The scale of the Rasuwa and Nuwakot disaster is devastating on its own. It also draws attention to a larger challenge facing Nepal and the Himalayan region.
Nepal sits within one of the regions of the world most vulnerable to climate change. Temperatures across the Himalaya are rising faster than the global average, accelerating changes to glaciers and high-altitude landscapes while communities below already contend with monsoon flooding, landslides, earthquakes, and other hazards.
Climate change does not mean that every individual flood or landslide can be attributed to warming alone. The precise causes of the Rasuwa and Nuwakot flood are still being assessed. But a warming Himalayan landscape is changing the conditions in which disasters occur, while the consequences can travel far beyond the place where an event begins.
The Rasuwa and Nuwakot flood is a particularly stark example of how quickly risks can cascade. A disaster beginning high in the mountains traveled through interconnected rivers, affecting communities far downstream and damaging roads, bridges, power generation, and other infrastructure people depend on every day. All while lives are at risk.
It also demonstrates why early information can matter so much. In one remarkable example reported by Associated Press, a warning reached a school in Nuwakot, downstream of the surge, shortly before the flood arrived. Staff evacuated more than 900 students and teachers. The school was destroyed, but the people inside had reached safety.
These events are unfolding as heavy monsoon rainfall continues to bring additional flood and landslide risks across Nepal. For rural communities, a washed-out road, damaged water system, lost crop, or interrupted power supply all while losing their loved ones can have consequences long after the immediate emergency has passed.
Why preparedness matters in the Koshi River Basin
While this tragedy occurred outside dZi's immediate partner communities, the systemic risks it exposed resonate across all of Nepal. As emergency teams respond in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, these events reinforce why dZi focuses heavily on proactive risk reduction in neighboring regions like the Koshi River Basin.
Nepal's Koshi River Basin is a region with above-average poverty and high vulnerability to floods, landslides, and other climate-related hazards. Our assessments with local governments, community groups, and civil society organizations have identified weak disaster preparedness, limited access to essential services, economic vulnerability, and the underrepresentation of women and disadvantaged groups in local decision-making as interconnected challenges.
This is why disaster risk reduction is one component of dZi's current three-year program alongside inclusive governance and micro-enterprise development.
Over the next three years, dZi will work closely with the local authorities to make sure that all households in our working areas are integrated into local disaster plans and that plans are realistic and well known to everyone.
These numbers represent something much more practical at the community level: knowing where to go when a warning comes, having a plan before roads become impassable, making sure vulnerable households are included in preparedness efforts, and strengthening local governments and organizations so resources and support can be mobilized quickly after a disaster. Ultimately, these efforts can save lives.
Building systems that remain when the emergency is over
No organization can prevent an ice avalanche, extreme rainfall, flood, or landslide from occurring. Disaster preparedness instead asks a different question: what can be put in place before a crisis so fewer lives and livelihoods are lost when one happens?
That can mean better early warning systems. It can mean evacuation plans that people know and have practiced. It can mean local governments that understand which households are most vulnerable and where resources are needed first. And it can mean strong local organizations and community networks that are already in place when outside assistance is difficult to reach.
The response to the Rasuwa and Nuwakot flood will continue long after the immediate emergency phase ends. Rebuilding infrastructure such as roads and bridges and restoring livelihoods will take months, and in some cases years, but investing in community preparedness today ensures that when the next storm hits, families are ready.
Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this disaster, with those waiting for news of loved ones, and with the rescue workers, community members, government agencies, and organizations responding across Nepal. As recovery continues, Rasuwa and Nuwakot are powerful reminders that preparedness is not simply about responding to the disaster in front of us. It is about strengthening the systems communities can rely on before the next one arrives.
If you would like to support communities affected by the August 26th floods, we recommend contributing directly to the
Stay informed
The situation in Rasuwa and Nuwakot continues to evolve. For those who would like to follow the disaster response or learn more about the climate and disaster risks facing Nepal and the Himalayan region, we recommend these trusted resources:
ReliefWeb: Nepal Flash Floods, August 2026 brings together ongoing situation reports, maps, humanitarian updates, and assessments from UN agencies and response organizations.
World Health Organization Nepal: Rasuwa Flash Floods provides updates on health impacts, emergency response efforts, and emerging public health needs in affected communities.
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD): Kyirong-Rasuwa Flood 2026 brings together scientific analysis and updates on the flood, as well as broader information about climate risks across the Himalaya.