Nepal floods. A closer look at the destruction.

26 AUGUST 2026

What happened

An avalanche triggered a massive flood on the China-Nepal border, through Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi, then down the Bhote Koshi–Trishuli corridor. Settlements, roads and hydropower facilities lay in its angry path. BWSN assessment ↗

1. 26 AUG · MORNING

   The surge strikes the border corridor; markets, police facilities and riverside settlements are hit. Red Cross ↗

2. 28 AUG

   An alternative road into Rasuwa restores limited surface access. Situation update ↗

3. 1 SEP

   Planet’s Pelican image captures the border crossing after the flood. Imagery ↗

REPORTED IMPACT · NEPAL

The scale of the loss

As of 9 September 2026, 19:00 · preliminary

Deaths reported

1,369

Roads destroyed

41–55 km

Agricultural land damaged

1,806 ha

Estimated damage and losses

≈ US$2.6bn

Reconstruction & rehabilitation

US$4–5bn

Financial estimates are preliminary and Nepal-wide: damage estimate reported 8 September ↗; Finance Minister’s rebuilding estimate, 30 August ↗. The detailed reconstruction needs further assessment.

NDRRMA figures reported in BWSN’s 9 September update ↗. These cover the wider disaster in Nepal. “Out of contact” is not counted as a death.