The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that, as of Monday morning, Nepalese authorities have confirmed 903 deaths and 267 injuries from last week's flash floods. More than 4,200 people remain missing while search and recovery operations continue.
So far, over 10,400 people have been rescued, including 252 foreign nationals. The Nepalese government has deployed more than 20,800 personnel for search and rescue operations and has declared a flood emergency in 15 municipalities, with two more designated as impacted.
On Wednesday, devastating flash floods tore through Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts. The floods along the Bhotekoshi River swept away entire communities and damaged roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, water systems, and telecommunications networks, leaving affected areas largely inaccessible and hindering the delivery of life-saving aid.
The catastrophic flash flood in Northern Nepal was triggered by a massive ice and rock avalanche in the Langtang massif. The avalanche temporarily dammed the Lhende River along the border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The sudden breach of this debris dam sent a surge of mud and water into the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, causing extensive destruction downstream.
Five days after the Trishuli River flash flood swept through Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts, the Nepalese governmentās response efforts continue. The UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Lila Pieters Yahia, continues to spearhead support for the government-led response.
Humanitarian agencies are setting up a coordination hub in Nuwakot to improve planning and information sharing among partners in the area. However, the biggest problem remains limited humanitarian access due to riverbank erosion, damaged bridges, road failures, and disrupted electricity and communication services.
Roads are reportedly passable only as far as Nuwakot, and some sections of the Prithvi Highway are completely blocked. Power has been restored in the two most impacted districts, Dhading and Nuwakot, and work continues in Rasuwa, the district hit hardest by the floods.
There has been extensive damage to infrastructure, including approximately 40 km of roads, over 80 bridges, and at least 14 hydropower and energy facilities along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli corridor.
The full scale of the tragedy is still unfolding, but it is clear that the number of people affected is significant. Humanitarian efforts require urgent scaling up to ensure that life-saving assistance reaches those most in need. At least 93,000 people are estimated to have been affected and require urgent assistance. Reliable information on displacement and people affected is still limited.
As assessments progress, humanitarian organizations are gaining a clearer understanding of the needs of the affected population. Some 65,000 people require emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene support. More than 22,000 children need protection, and an estimated 2,600 children under five will require treatment for severe wasting.
Additionally, some 10,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women require nutritional support. Nineteen schools have been damaged, nine of which were completely destroyed, and eight more are being used to shelter displaced families. Additionally, more than 10,000 school-aged children require psychosocial support.
Preliminary reports indicate that at least 107 children may have been separated from their parents or caregivers. Family tracing and reunification have become urgent priorities.
The UN and its partners are working closely with the authorities to scale up operations. The UN World Food Programme has dispatched nearly 80 metric tons of food, providing 9,200 people with enough supplies to last 15 days. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has delivered therapeutic food for 500 severely malnourished children.
Fifteen emergency medical teams have been mobilized, and 11 of them are currently working in the field. Nearly 400 people in Nuwakot have received psychological first aid, and more than 3,200 dignity kits have been distributed to women and girls.