Nepal flash floods: More than 10,000 households are in need of emergency aid

Press Release | London, 27th June 2026, 14:00 GMT

On 26 August, a devastating flood of ice and mud struck northern Nepal, sweeping away entire villages, destroying bridges, flooding kilometres of roads and damaging or destroying vital infrastructure, including hydroelectric power stations.

More than 10,000 households are in need of emergency aid.

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is preparing an emergency response focused on rehabilitation, mental health support and the distribution of essential supplies to people affected by the disaster.

Latest figures indicate that more than 900 people are missing and at least 359 have died. The scale of the disaster suggests that the death toll could rise significantly as search operations continue.

Thousands of people fled the oncoming mudslide, leaving their homes and possessions behind. The region's mountainous terrain and extensive infrastructure damage are hampering rescue efforts, while communications remain cut off with some of the worst-affected areas. Roads have been cut off by mudslides, leaving some areas completely inaccessible by road, including several health centres and two hospitals.

“The images reaching us from the disaster areas are terrifying; they show a torrent suddenly surging forward and sweeping everything away in its path. Roads have been cut off by the mudslide and some areas are now completely inaccessible by road; this is particularly the case for several health centres and two hospitals. The risk of further landslides or of houses, whose foundations have been weakened, collapsing remains high in the districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading,” explains Rajesh Chandra, director of HI’s Nepal programme.

Thousands of people fled the oncoming mudslide, leaving their homes and possessions behind. According to the Nepalese authorities, more than 10,000 households are in need of emergency aid.

Humanity & Inclusion prepares to support hospitals and people impacted

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Nepal for more than 25 years and has extensive expertise in disaster response and rehabilitation.

Following the disaster, Humanity & Inclusion was quickly called upon by the Department of Health to provide support in rehabilitation and mental health. Humanity & Inclusion is preparing to deploy an emergency team to help hospitals cope with the influx of injured people and to strengthen rehabilitation services.

“We are preparing to deploy an emergency team to help hospitals cope with the influx of injured people and to provide around a hundred mobility aids – walking sticks, crutches, wheelchairs and so on – to those who need them. One of our key priorities is to ensure that the emergency response is truly inclusive, taking particular account of people with disabilities, older people and other vulnerable groups,” says Rajesh Chandra.

The first hours following a disaster are crucial for providing rapid care to patients, some of whom are seriously injured, and for helping to prevent permanent disabilities. Humanity & Inclusion’s teams will also provide initial psychological support to people affected by the disaster to help them cope with the trauma caused by the disaster.

Essential supplies for families affected

Humanity & Inclusion has stocks of essential items, including blankets, clothing, kitchen utensils and soap, ready to be delivered to families whose homes have been buried under the mudslide.

Our emergency response will focus on ensuring that vulnerable people affected by the disaster, including people with disabilities, older people and other vulnerable groups, are taken into account in the humanitarian response.