What Happened
Cause: Glacial Ice Avalanche
On 26 August 2026, a massive ice avalanche from a glacier roughly 40 miles north of Kathmandu collapsed into the Lhende Khola / Bhotekoshi river system, triggering a catastrophic glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). The surge raced down the Trishuli corridor, obliterating riverside settlements, bridges, and hydropower plants.
Source: USGS / GFZ scientific analysis
Affected Areas
The flood devastated Timure and Syafrubesi in Rasuwa district near the NepalTibet border, swept downstream through Betrawati in Nuwakot, and issued flood warnings as far downstream as Chitwan along the Narayani river system. The flood simultaneously struck Gyirong County in Tibet, China.
Source: NDRRMA / Nepal Army situation reports
What We Know
- Deaths: 903 confirmed (NDRRMA, 31 Aug, Nepal side) — rising as access is restored to cut-off areas
- Missing: 4,247 reported missing or out of contact (Nepal side), including at least 592 foreign nationals from 34 countries (tourists & NRNs)
- Rescued: 10,451 rescued by security forces (NDRRMA, 31 Aug), including 279 airlifted over two days from a hydropower tunnel and 227 foreign nationals flown out by helicopter; 3,027 are individually named in the registry (2,801 Nepali, 226 foreign)
- Infrastructure: ~41 bridges and ~42 km of road destroyed; hydropower damage has taken an estimated 431 MW off the grid (Rasuwagadhi, Chilime, Trishuli 3A/3B)
- Economic damage: Rs 15 billion to roads and bridges alone; total damages estimated near Rs 200 billion
- International aid: ADB (USD 5 million), EU (EUR 2 million), UN CERF (USD 2 million), Red Cross (CHF 1 million)
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 ?