Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Nepal Floods Leave 1,344 Dead as Search Continues for 5,000
A huge flood hit Nepal after an ice-rock avalanche sent water and debris down the Bhotekoshi River.
The disaster damaged homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and hydropower projects.
Nepal Police says 1,344 people died and nearly 5,000 are still missing.
More than 13,100 people have been rescued.
Many recovered bodies are hard to identify because they were damaged, decomposed or found in pieces.
Police are collecting DNA from families whose relatives are missing.
More than 1,000 unidentified bodies were buried after samples were taken for possible future identification.
The government says it is providing relief and arranging temporary and long-term housing.
Another flood in Gorkha later destroyed four houses and a bridge, but no deaths were reported.
Nepal Police reported 1,344 deaths and nearly 5,000 people missing 11 days after the floods.
More than 13,100 people were rescued, but only 98 recovered bodies had been identified and returned to families.
Damaged, decomposed and partial remains have made identification difficult; more than 1,000 unidentified bodies were buried after DNA samples were collected.
Nepal Police is collecting DNA samples from relatives of missing people to identify unclaimed bodies and human remains.
A new flood in Gorkha swept away four houses and a suspension bridge, while the government promised continued relief and long-term settlement planning.
- Who
- Residents, rescuers, Nepal Police, government officials and families of missing people are involved; Chinese media also reported deaths and missing people on the Chinese side.
- What
- Devastating floods killed 1,344 people, left nearly 5,000 missing and created major difficulties in identifying recovered bodies.
- When
- The main disaster began on August 26, with the figures reported 11 days later; a fresh Gorkha flood occurred early Sunday.
- Where
- The floods affected northern and central Nepal, including Chitwan, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahun; the triggering avalanche occurred near the Nepal-Tibet border.
- Why
- An ice-rock avalanche sent water and debris through the Bhotekoshi River, while a later overflow of the Namrung Khola caused another flood in Gorkha.
Government assurances
Continuing humanitarian concerns
Relief supplies
Government assurances
Information and Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina said there was no shortage of relief materials and that the government would prevent mismanagement in their distribution.
Continuing humanitarian concerns
The scale of the disaster, damaged transport and communications networks, and the need for temporary accommodation in schools and hospitals show the logistical challenges facing affected communities.
Recovery and preparedness
Government assurances
The government said it was restoring communication, electricity and roads, arranging temporary accommodation and preparing long-term settlements for flood victims.
Continuing humanitarian concerns
The continuing search for nearly 5,000 missing people, difficulties identifying bodies and another flood in Gorkha underscore ongoing humanitarian risks and the need for greater climate preparedness.
- Reported deaths in Nepal
- 1,344
- People still missing
- Nearly 5,000
- People rescued
- More than 13,100
- Bodies identified and returned
- 98
- Unidentified bodies buried
- More than 1,000, after DNA samples were collected
- Children among recovered bodies
- At least 85
- Fresh Gorkha flood
- Four houses and a suspension bridge were swept away; no casualties were reported
