Nepal evacuates 2,500 as flash floods kill 500 and leave 2,000 missing

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Aug 29, 2026 10:22 IST

Rescue teams in Nepal have evacuated nearly 2,500 stranded people, including 163 foreigners, as search and relief operations continued on Saturday after devastating flash floods killed over 500 people. The floods, which hit Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, have also left nearly 2,000 people missing.

The floods caused widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. More than 11,000 security personnel, including over 5,000 Nepal Army personnel, have been mobilised for search and rescue work, while the government has also stepped up relief measures and collected more than Rs 2.295 billion for the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund.

According to the Nepal Army's Public Relations Directorate, 2,465 people have been evacuated so far. This includes 163 foreigners — 113 Indians, 26 Chinese, 15 South Koreans, four Germans, two each from Italy and the US, and one Omani national. It said 191 workers were also evacuated from tunnels of various hydropower projects in Trishuli and Rasuwa. Of those rescued, 2,265 were evacuated by helicopters and 200 through land routes.

Emergency health centres set up at Dhunche and Trishuli have so far provided medical assistance to 1,706 people evacuated from different flood-hit areas, the directorate said.

Meanwhile, the Mugling-Kathmandu highway, a major road link connecting the capital with other parts of the country by land, resumed operations on Saturday, Nepal Police said in a notice. The road had remained closed since Wednesday because of the risk of flooding and landslides. Police said operations resumed after assessing the situation, and vehicles are gradually being allowed to move towards their destinations. highways and other major road sections in central Nepal have remained obstructed for the past four days because of flood and landslide risks.

More than Rs 2.295 billion had been collected for the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund by Friday night, according to sources at the Prime Minister's Office. The fund received Rs 1.91 billion within 36 hours from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday midnight, while assistance worth Rs 385.5 million was donated on Friday alone. The Ministry of Finance said the deposits were made to accounts held at 10 different commercial banks.

After the severe flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River, which flows along the Nepal-China border, the government declared the affected areas disaster zones. Following this, various organisations and individuals donated to the fund. With the latest contributions, the fund's balance has risen to Rs 4.09 billion from Rs 2.17 billion. The government has designated the Ministry of Finance as the focal ministry for collecting contributions to the fund and coordinating assistance. According to the Finance Minister's secretariat, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has been personally accepting contributions of Rs 10 million or more from institutional donors, while individual donors can provide cash contributions by visiting the ministry in person.

As rescue, relief and medical support continued across flood-hit areas, Nepal also moved to reopen key road links and expand disaster funding after the flash floods caused heavy loss of life, left many missing and damaged infrastructure across central parts of the country.

With PTI Inputs

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