Nepal Floods 2026 — Overview
Independent, sourced coverage of the 2026 Bhote Koshi & Trishuli river corridor flash flood emergency in Nepal.
What Happened
The Glacier Collapse
At approximately 08:37 NPT on 26 August 2026, a massive slab of hanging glacier broke off near Langtang Lirung, sending an estimated 100–200 million m³ of ice, rock and pulverized debris crashing down into the Bhote Koshi headwaters inside Nepal.
The impact registered a seismic signal of Ms 5.2 (USGS) and generated a hyperconcentrated slurry traveling up to 180 km/h down the narrow gorge.
The Impact Zone
The sudden surge tore through customs infrastructure at Timure / Rasuwagadhi, inundated Syafrubesi and Betrawati, damaged 11 hydropower plants along the Trishuli corridor, severed the Prithvi Highway at Krishnabhir in Dhading, and deposited flood debris hundreds of kilometers downstream in Chitwan and Nawalparasi.
Current Figures
- Deaths: 1,451 confirmed (NDRRMA, 20 Sept, Nepal side) — with forensic identification underway for 340 bodies in Chitwan and downstream corridors
- Missing: 5,786 reported missing or out of contact (Nepal side), including 900 hydropower personnel across 12 projects (~500 believed trapped in tunnels), 636 foreign nationals, and security personnel
- Rescued: 13,784 rescued by joint security forces (NDRRMA, 20 Sept), including 3,596 airlifted by Nepal Army helicopters (3,344 Nepali, 252 foreign); 5,006 individually named in the public family tracing registry
- Security Deployed: 21,400+ active personnel (Nepali Army 9,300, Nepal Police 7,912, Armed Police Force 4,203) across 411+ flight sorties and ground teams
- Infrastructure Damage: 80 bridges damaged (35 motorable + 45 suspension), 40+ km of road destroyed; 431 MW knocked off national grid with Nepal's first official damage estimate at Rs 387.54 billion ($2.56B, NDRRMA, 4 Sept); the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment puts total loss and damage near Rs 400 billion
- International Aid & Relief: PM Disaster Relief Fund passes Rs 5.44 billion; 50 tonnes of relief supplies each from China and India; IFRC CHF 25m appeal, ADB ($5m), EU (€2m), UN CERF ($2m)
Emergency Helplines
National
Affected Districts
Latest Bulletins
Nepal Floods Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the 2026 Nepal floods?
Scientists at USGS and GFZ determined the flood was caused by a large glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung, about 64 km (40 miles) north of Kathmandu, not an earthquake as initially speculated. Satellite imagery shows a 0.2 km² slab of ice broke away and fell roughly 1.2 km to the valley floor; the Ms 5.2 seismic signal recorded at 08:37 NPT was generated by the collapse itself. The impact melted the ice and sent a massive surge of water and debris down the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers — a glacier-collapse flood rather than the glacial lake outburst (GLOF) first suspected.
Which districts were affected?
The primary districts affected are Rasuwa (Timure, Syafrubesi, Dhunche) and Nuwakot (Betrawati). Downstream warnings were issued for Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan. On the China side, Gyirong County in Tibet was also devastated.
How to donate to Nepal flood relief?
The official Prime Minister's Natural Calamity Relief Fund and PM Relief Fund accept donations via multiple Nepali banks, and via Fonepay QR code. Visit our Relief Fund page for verified bank account details transcribed from the official PMO notice.
How to find a missing person in Nepal floods?
Use official channels: ICRC Restoring Family Links, Nepal Police (dial 100), NDRRMA, and Nepal Red Cross. Visit our Missing Persons page for direct links to official registries.
Is NepalDisaster.com an official government site?
No. NepalDisaster.com is an independent civic information service that aggregates publicly available data from official sources (NDRRMA, Nepal Police, Nepal Army, PMO). It is not an official government website. Always verify critical information at BIPAD Portal.
Where to call in case of emergency?
Nepal Police: 100 Ambulance: 102 Armed Police Force: 1114 District Emergency Ops (DEOC): 1234 Health Helpline: 1115. See the full helplines section above for district-specific numbers in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Chitwan.
Alert Map
Interactive map of active impact zones along the Trishuli corridor with real coordinates for each affected settlement. View the Alert Map ?