Update (15:04 NST, October 5, 2026)
New estimates indicate that a total of Rs 723.31 billion will be required for reconstruction following the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flood, according to a rapid damage and needs assessment report by the National Planning Commission and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). This figure is significantly higher than the Rs 559.17 billion budget previously recommended to the Ministry of Finance.
The report detailed extensive damage, including 7,570 private homes across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan districts. Additionally, 48 public buildings, 18 schools, seven health facilities, and 47 cultural heritage sites were damaged. Infrastructure recovery alone is estimated to cost Rs 473.57 billion, with insurance claims for flood damage estimated at Rs 3.07 billion.
Regarding casualties, as of 5 AM on Ashoj 19 (BS), 1,457 bodies have been recovered, including two additional deaths reported in Kathmandu during treatment. Of these, 1,334 bodies have been safely buried. Authorities have collected 3,413 DNA samples for identification, and details of 1,430 unidentified bodies have been uploaded to the Nepal Police website.
A joint team of Chinese and Nepali scientists will conduct a 20-day field study to determine the flood’s source. Installation of a Bailey bridge has commenced at Betrawati and is expected to be operational before Dashain. The Madhesh Province government has also announced special relief, including Rs 100,000 for families of those who died within the province and the distribution of Rs 19.6 million worth of relief materials.
The government has suspended active search and rescue operations for the devastating Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flood, shifting its focus to reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. The decision was made on Monday during the 21st meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NCDRRMA), Nepal’s apex disaster management body, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The council also approved the recommendation of a massive Rs 559.17 billion budget to the Ministry of Finance for 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in the affected areas. While the primary search and rescue phase is halted, essential emergency operations will continue as needed.
Shift to Reconstruction and Rehabilitation
The decision to suspend the search and rescue phase was based on recommendations from the District Security Committee, the District Disaster Management Committee, the Executive Committee of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal’s national disaster management body, and on-site observations. This strategic shift aims to reallocate resources and personnel, previously focused on minimizing human casualties and searching for the missing, towards rebuilding physical infrastructure and restoring livelihoods.
The Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flood, described as a “Himalayan Tsunami,” struck on Bhadra 10 (BS), causing extensive human and material damage. As of Ashoj 5 (BS), 1,457 bodies had been recovered, with 1,430 remaining unidentified. A staggering 4,718 individuals are still missing.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah emphasized that disaster management efforts have been progressing through the coordinated efforts of federal, provincial, and local governments. He stated that reconstruction and rehabilitation work would also follow this collaborative approach. Leaders from opposition parties, including Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Bhishma Raj Angdembe, and the Chief Ministers of Bagmati, Gandaki, Madhesh, and Koshi provinces, pledged their full support for the government’s reconstruction initiatives.
Massive Budget for Recovery
The Rs 559.17 billion budget recommended for 504 projects will be managed by the Ministry of Finance, currently led by Dr. Swarnim Wagle, in accordance with the Economic Procedures and Financial Accountability Regulations, 2077 (BS). The NDRRMA, whose Executive Chief is Dr. Dharmaraj Upreti, has also been instructed to recommend necessary budget allocations to the Ministry of Finance once cost estimates and prioritization details are available for projects currently lacking this information.
The flood caused significant damage to critical infrastructure. Approximately 620 megawatts of electricity were knocked offline due to damage to power generation, transmission, and distribution structures. Preliminary estimates suggest that Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility, and its subsidiary companies incurred damages totaling around Rs 74 billion. The tourism sector reported preliminary economic losses of Rs 52.67 billion. Initial assessments also indicate that energy infrastructure reconstruction will require an estimated Rs 390 billion, while irrigation structures sustained damages exceeding Rs 1.5 billion.
Addressing Long-Term Challenges
The Galchhi-Betrawati road section, which had been obstructed for about a month, reopened on Ashoj 16 (BS), providing some relief for residents and transportation in the affected areas.
Nepal is also preparing to highlight the disasters it faces due to climate change and the need for climate finance at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, scheduled to be held in Turkey from November 9 to 20.
The timeline for the Ministry of Finance’s approval of the recommended Rs 559 billion budget and the commencement of the 504 projects remains uncertain. Similarly, the specific cause of the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flood, such as a glacial lake outburst or cloudburst, has not been explicitly identified. The current Chief Minister of Madhesh Province also remains unclear following the resignation of Satish Kumar Singh on Bhadra 24 (BS) and the appointment of Mohammad Sameer as acting Chief Minister on Bhadra 29 (BS).
