Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Nepal Flood Survivors Search for Homes and Loved Ones
A huge flood of water, mud and rocks hit parts of Nepal last month.
It was caused by a glacial collapse in the mountains.
Many homes, roads, schools and businesses were buried or swept away.
At least 1,386 people died, and 5,130 are still missing in Nepal.
Survivors return to their towns to look for family members and belongings.
Some people find only mud where their houses once stood.
Many residents received warnings, but the flood arrived so quickly that they had little time to escape.
Families now live in tents and are unsure whether they can rebuild their lives there.
A glacial collapse triggered floods of mud and rocks across Nepal’s border region last month.
At least 1,386 people were killed, while 5,130 remain missing on Nepal’s side of the border.
Survivors returning to Betrawati often find only hardened grey silt where homes and businesses stood.
Residents described receiving warnings minutes before the flood, but many could not grasp its speed or scale.
Families in Betrawati and Devighat are searching for belongings and loved ones while facing the loss of homes, farmland and livelihoods.
- Who
- Flood survivors and residents of Betrawati and Devighat, Nepal; rescue authorities are searching for missing people.
- What
- A glacial-collapse flood swept away or buried homes, businesses, farmland and infrastructure, killing at least 1,386 people.
- When
- The disaster occurred last month; survivors were returning as of September 18.
- Where
- Betrawati and Devighat in Nepal, near the Nepal-China border.
- Why
- A glacial collapse sent a torrent of water, mud and rocks down the mountains and through settlements.
- Reported deaths
- At least 1,386 people
- Missing in Nepal
- 5,130 people
- Main affected towns
- Betrawati and Devighat
- Disaster cause
- A glacial collapse
- Survivor shelter
- Clusters of tents on a hillside above Betrawati
- Previous disaster cited
- Nearly 9,000 people were killed in Nepal’s 2015 earthquake