Nepal is yet again struck with a massive disaster – a devastating flash flood which has swept through Rasuwa and Nuwakot Districts and surrounding areas yesterday morning, leaving a trail of major loss and destruction. Our hearts break as we see homes, infrastructure and livelihoods severely affected and many lives that are lost or remain unaccounted for.

At this difficult time, UMN urges you to pray for the Government of Nepal, for wisdom, strength, cooperation and the resources needed to respond to this tragic disaster.

Situation update:
As of 11 am, 27 August 2026, 165 bodies have been recovered, while 826 people are unaccounted for. (Source: National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority)

UMN’s response:
UMN has decided to respond to the disaster in Dhading and Nuwakot Districts.
Although we do not currently have projects in these districts, UMN has worked in Dhading in the past and we have former implementing partner organisation with established local presence, relationships and knowledge of the affected communities. This gives us a strong foundation for a locally informed and coordinated response.

We are planning to respond in two stages:
• Immediate relief: We are initially planning to support approximately 1,000 affected families in Dhading and Nuwakot with essential food and non-food relief items, based on needs identified through rapid assessment.
• Response and recovery: Subject to the availability of funding, as communities move into recovery, we hope to focus particularly on education in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, including rebuilding damaged schools and establishing temporary learning centres so that children can resume their education as soon as possible. The scale and scope of this recovery work will depend on the needs identified and the funding available.

Photo credit: Online Khabar