Flooding in Nepal: part one, local aid and how you can help

It’s been nine years since floods broke out on the Nepal-India border, and four since Kathmandu was hit with an earthquake in June of that year, and now, most recently, the country is faced with devastation from floods in Rasuwa, the effects of which have rippled outward from the region.

It’s difficult to visualize or put into words what this means, so I am deferring to reporting from my friend Hemraj Dangal in Kathmandu, who has been organizing relief efforts. What follows is a timeline from the initial flooding of 26 August. I asked Hemraj to send me this to give some idea of the scope of the disaster from someone on the ground as well as to shine some light on those relief efforts and how others can help.

Hemraj and his team have been concentrating on helping the displaced in  Bidur Ward 5. Bridges have been washed out in surrounding wards and overland travel is still precarious. The broader scope is that over 84,000 people have been affected and to date, 1400 deaths have been reported, with around five thousand missing. These figures are likely to rise.

I will be writing more about the disaster over the coming days, but for now, I want to highlight efforts like Hemraj’s in-country and will post other organizations who need support and what you can do to help.

You can contact Hemraj directly here:

Email: dangal.hemraj@yahoo.com

WhatsApp/Phone: +977 9841406212

The following are text messages from Hemraj to me over Facebook Messenger. 

Lightly edited for clarity.

Messages begin here:

Wednesday, 16 September.

I really appreciate your support.

I have been involved in the relief efforts since day one, supporting affected families and coordinating assistance where it is most needed. I’m currently organizing another relief distribution this Friday for 125 families who have been displaced from Rasuwa to Bidur, Nuwakot.

You are very welcome to share my contact details and add me to the mix. My contact details are:

Email: dangal.hemraj@yahoo.com

WhatsApp/Phone: +977 9841406212

I’m happy to provide any further information, photos, or updates that may be useful.

Thank you again for your kindness and support. It truly means a lot.

Friday, 18 September.

I wanted to share a brief update from Bidur Ward 5, where I visited families displaced from Rasuwa, particularly from Uthargaya (Khalte).

Around 500 families were living in the affected area, and nearly all their homes and belongings have been swept away. Based on information from local residents, it is believed that only about half of the people in this town survived. Many others remain missing and are presumed dead, while some families are still completing the final rites for their loved ones.

The survivors were relocated to Bidur only recently and are facing extremely difficult conditions.

Today, we distributed emergency supplies to 125 families, including mattresses, blankets, pillows, pillow covers, cooking utensils, and hygiene products.

From later on Friday, 18 September, Hemraj’s timeline:

26 August – The disaster

The flash flood hit Rasuwa after the Bhote Koshi River overflowed. Timure, Rasuwagadhi, Syabrubesi and surrounding areas were severely affected. Homes, businesses and belongings were swept away, roads were destroyed, and many people were reported missing.

When I first started receiving information from people on the ground, it was difficult to understand the full scale of what had happened.

26–27 August – Deciding to act

As more messages, photographs and personal stories started coming in, I felt I could not simply sit and watch.

I began calling friends and people I knew and asking if they could help in any way. There was no large plan at the beginning. It was simply a personal effort to get immediate assistance to people who had suddenly lost their homes and everything they owned.

A few friends contributed money. Others offered contacts, materials and logistical help. Gradually, one person connected another, and the small group began to grow.

Late August – Collecting essential supplies

We started focusing on practical things families needed immediately.

We collected and purchased blankets, towels, bedsheets, pillow covers, mattresses, pillows, hygiene products, sanitary pads, baby clothes, cooking utensils, solar lights, stationery and toys for children.

The more information I received, the more I realized that people had lost almost everything — not only their houses, but also their beds, clothes, kitchen items, children's belongings and everyday necessities.

Nagrik Samaj Group – supporting 600 people

The Nagrik Samaj Group (Citizens’ Community Group) was organizing support for around 600 flood-affected people.

I contributed 200 blankets and towels to support their relief effort.

Mustang Gumba, Swayambhu – supporting 300 families

I also learned that Mustang Gumba in Swayambhu was supporting around 300 families affected by the floods.

I provided:

- 200 blankets

- 200 towels

- 200 bedsheets

- 400 pillowcases

Seeing communities opening their doors to people who had lost their homes was deeply moving.

Early September – Betravati

One of the places that affected me deeply was Betravati, where families were living in temporary conditions after losing their homes and belongings.

Around 50 families at a temporary holding centre received:

- Mattresses

- Blankets

- Pillows

- Pillow covers

- Bedsheets

- Cooking utensils

- Solar lights

- Hygiene products

- Stationery for children

- Games and toys for children

The solar lights were especially useful for families living in temporary conditions with limited access to electricity.

Meeting these families made the disaster much more personal. They were not simply numbers. Every family had its own story of loss.

The human side

One of the hardest things was seeing children trying to continue their lives in the middle of such uncertainty.

They had lost their homes and many of their belongings, but they were still children. Giving them stationery and games was a small thing, but it gave them a moment to play and feel like children again.

For the adults, some were grieving relatives while simultaneously trying to find somewhere to sleep, something to eat and a way to look after their children.

The disaster was not only about destroyed buildings. It was about people losing the places and things that represented their entire lives.September – The network grows

The effort gradually became larger.

Friends who had initially contributed began sharing the information with their own networks. More people offered financial support, supplies, contacts and logistical assistance.

I continued organizing support based on what I was seeing and hearing directly from affected communities.

I wanted the assistance to be practical and to reach people who genuinely needed it.

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Another friend, Dr. Meena Singh Khadka, has been working with women’s education and empowerment in many of the same areas hit by the floods. Two of her women’s training centers collapsed. “Out of 180 women, 30 are missing, age 19 to 70.” That was on 28 August. As of this past Wednesday, still no word.

She writes, “There are 12 thousands people missing (including) 374 foreigners. Entire village swept away. Now more and more landsliding, 4 major rivers are in danger (of breaching their banks) in Kathmandu.”

Dr. Khadka may be reached via email at homeforbuddhas@yahoo.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/meena.s.khadka.

If you wish to help other organizations, The Kathmandu Post has links to several: https://kathmandupost.com/national/2026/08/27/how-people-can-help-nepal-s-flood-affected-communities.

Before you donate (from voluntouring.org):

• Start from the organisation’s official website, not a copied payment link in a post.
• Look for legal registration, recent reporting, clear contact information, safeguarding policies and an explanation of how funds are used.
• Prefer organisations working through Nepalese partners, branches and community structures.
• Give unrestricted or flexible funding when you trust the organisation. Needs change faster than highly specific donations can.
• Keep the receipt, and never send money or identity documents to an unverified individual.

Lastly, some photos from the field of aid being distributed. Photos from Hemraj Dangal.