Latest updates on Nepal’s 2026 Bhote Koshi flood, including affected districts, rescue operations, road access and conditions for trekkers and travelers.
Last updated: August 31, 2026
Nepal is responding to a major flash-flood disaster that struck the Bhote Koshi River corridor on August 26, 2026. The worst damage is in northern Nepal, particularly Rasuwa and Nuwakot, with flooding and related landslides also affecting parts of Dhading, Gorkha, Chitwan, Nawalparasi and Tanahun.
The disaster has caused extensive damage to roads, hydropower projects, settlements and other infrastructure. Rescue teams are still searching for missing people, while road access to several affected areas remains difficult.
According to the latest information released on August 31, 903 people have died and 4,247 remain missing in Nepal. More than 10,451 people have been rescued, and more than 20,800 security personnel are involved in search, rescue and relief operations.
The figures are still being updated as rescue teams reach remote locations and authorities identify recovered bodies.
The disaster began in the Himalayan region near the Nepal–Tibet border when a glacier collapse and rockfall released a large volume of ice, rock and water.
The resulting flood moved rapidly downstream through the Bhote Koshi system, damaging communities and infrastructure along the river.
The speed and force of the flood left little time for people living and working near the river to respond. Hydropower projects were particularly badly affected because several facilities and work sites are located directly along the river corridor.
The flood also damaged roads and bridges that normally provide access to remote settlements, making the rescue operation more difficult.
The latest official figures available on August 31 show the scale of the disaster:
These numbers should not be treated as final. Search operations are still underway, and the authorities continue to revise the figures.
The main disaster area is concentrated around the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli River corridors.
Rasuwa is one of the worst-affected districts. The flood damaged settlements, hydropower infrastructure, roads and bridges.
The district is also important for tourism because it provides access toward the Langtang region and the Nepal–China border.
Nuwakot has suffered extensive damage and has a large number of people still reported missing.
The district sits along important river and road corridors connecting northern areas with central Nepal, so damage here has consequences for transportation beyond the immediate flood zone.
Flooding and river erosion have damaged sections of important transportation routes in Dhading.
This matters to tourists because the district contains part of the main road connection between Kathmandu and Pokhara.
The disaster has also resulted in deaths and damage in these districts. The authorities are continuing search, recovery and relief operations across the wider affected area.
Hydropower facilities along the river corridor were hit particularly hard.
Workers at several projects remain unaccounted for, with authorities reporting 933 hydropower-related personnel among those missing.
Some workers may have been inside tunnels when the flood struck. Rescue teams are using heavy machinery, engineering equipment and specialist teams to search these underground areas.
The Nepal Army has been leading several of the tunnel searches, with assistance from experts from neighbouring countries.
The situation varies from project to project. At the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, for example, a rescue team searched the tunnel to its deepest accessible point on August 31 and reported finding no people inside. Search operations elsewhere are continuing.
The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are leading the response.
More than 20,800 security personnel have been mobilised. Helicopters are being used to evacuate people from locations where roads are blocked or destroyed.
According to the latest government figures, 252 foreign nationals have been rescued by helicopter, along with thousands of Nepali citizens.
Medical teams have also been sent into affected areas, while food, medicines and other relief materials are being transported to communities cut off by the flood.
Road access is one of the biggest problems following the flood.
Floodwater and river erosion have damaged sections of major highways and local roads. Landslides have added another layer of difficulty, particularly in steep mountain areas.
The Prithvi Highway, the principal road between Kathmandu and Pokhara, has experienced flood-related disruption in Dhading.
For tourists, this means a road journey that normally takes a predictable amount of time may currently require additional time or a change of route.
Anyone travelling by road in Nepal should confirm the condition of the route on the day of travel rather than relying on an old itinerary.
Kathmandu is not at the centre of the flood disaster.
The more immediate concern for visitors in Kathmandu is transportation to other parts of the country.
If you are staying in Kathmandu and travelling toward Pokhara, Dhading, Chitwan, Rasuwa or other affected areas, check the road situation before leaving.
There is therefore an important difference between saying “Kathmandu is affected by the disaster” and saying “travel from Kathmandu may be affected by damaged roads.”
Pokhara is outside the main flood-affected corridor.
The city continues to operate as Nepal’s major tourism gateway for the Annapurna region.
The issue for visitors is transportation between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Because sections of the highway have been affected by flooding and landslides, travellers using the road should allow extra time and confirm the latest road conditions.
This does not mean that Pokhara itself has been closed to tourists.
Langtang requires particular attention because Rasuwa is one of the districts directly affected by the disaster.
The road toward the Langtang trekking area passes through infrastructure that has been affected by the recent floods and landslides.
For that reason, anyone planning a Langtang Valley Trek should not rely on information published before August 26.
The condition of the road, bridges and trail access needs to be confirmed before travelling toward Syabrubesi and beyond.
At present, Langtang should be treated differently from trekking regions farther away from the disaster zone.
The Everest Base Camp Trek is not located in the main Bhote Koshi–Rasuwa flood zone.
That does not mean every part of an Everest itinerary is automatically unaffected.
Most trekkers traveling to Everest begin with transportation from Kathmandu to the Everest region, and weather can also affect Lukla flights.
If you are planning an Everest Base Camp trek, check:
The flood in Rasuwa should not be used as a reason to declare the entire Everest region closed.
The Annapurna region is outside the main flood disaster area.
This includes popular routes such as:
However, these routes are still in the Himalayan environment during the monsoon season.
Rain can produce local landslides, muddy trails and road disruptions even when a destination is far from the original flood.
For an Annapurna Base Camp Trek or Poon Hill Trek, the current road conditions around Pokhara and the specific trekking route should be checked before departure.
The current disaster does not mean that tourism has stopped throughout Nepal.
The situation is different from district to district.
A visitor staying in Kathmandu has a different situation from someone travelling to Rasuwa. A trekker heading to Annapurna has a different set of conditions from someone travelling toward Langtang.
This is why a general statement such as “Nepal is closed” or “Nepal is completely safe” does not give travellers enough information to make a sensible decision.
The destination and route matter.
Yes, but travellers should check their individual itinerary before travelling.
Foreign visitors are among those affected by the disaster, and the authorities have been working to locate missing foreign nationals and coordinate rescue and information services.
Tourists already in Nepal should stay in contact with their hotel, guide, trekking company or local representative if their plans involve an affected district.
Anyone planning to travel toward Rasuwa or other flood-affected areas should wait for reliable confirmation that the required roads and trails are accessible.
There is no single answer for every trek.
If your itinerary goes directly through a flood-affected area, postponing the trip or changing the route may be necessary.
If you are travelling to a different trekking region, the situation needs to be assessed separately.
For example:
Langtang: Check the latest road and trail access carefully because of its location in Rasuwa.
Everest: Check flights, weather and current trail information.
Annapurna: Check the Kathmandu–Pokhara connection and local trail conditions.
Poon Hill: Check road access to the trekking starting point and current weather.
The safest approach is to make the decision using information from the few days immediately before your trek rather than information from before the flood.
Before starting a trek or long road journey, check five things:
Ask for the latest information on the exact road you will use.
Check the current forecast rather than relying on a forecast from several days earlier.
A road may be open while a trekking trail or bridge farther ahead is damaged.
Confirm domestic flights and road transfers before leaving Kathmandu.
Your guide, trekking agency and accommodation providers can often provide more useful route-specific information than a general national travel update.
For current river and flood information, travellers can monitor Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM).
DHM provides flood forecasting, river monitoring and weather information, including a River Watch service and flood early-warning information.
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology — Nepal
For people in Nepal, DHM also provides the 1155 toll-free number for weather and flood information.
Nepal’s mountain roads and trekking routes are exposed to several hazards during the monsoon.
Heavy rainfall can loosen slopes above a road. River levels can rise quickly. A bridge can become unusable even when the trail on either side remains intact.
After a major flood, there is also the problem of damaged infrastructure that may look passable but has not yet been assessed properly.
For this reason, local route information is particularly valuable when travelling immediately after a natural disaster.
The immediate priority remains the search for missing people and the evacuation of communities that are still cut off.
Once the emergency rescue phase is completed, authorities will have to assess damaged roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and public infrastructure.
Some repairs will take days.
Others will take considerably longer.
The final impact will become clearer only after rescue teams and engineers can reach the affected sites and complete their assessments.
The August 26, 2026 flood is a serious regional disaster, not a nationwide closure of Nepal.
The worst impacts are concentrated around the Bhote Koshi–Trishuli corridor, particularly Rasuwa and Nuwakot, with damage extending into other districts.
For tourists, the practical issue is access.
Road conditions can change. Some trekking routes require fresh assessment. Flights can be affected by weather. And destinations located outside the disaster area can still experience transportation problems because they depend on roads passing through affected districts.
If you are planning a Nepal trip, check the specific destination, route and transportation arrangements shortly before travelling.
Do not rely on a general headline to make the decision.
Nepal’s August 2026 flood is a serious emergency, but the conditions in Rasuwa are not the same as conditions in Pokhara, Annapurna or the Everest region.
If you are already in Nepal, follow local instructions and check your route before travelling.
If you are planning a trek, ask for a current update on your exact trail, road connection and flight or transport arrangements.
And if conditions change, be prepared to change your itinerary.
This article was last updated on August 31, 2026 and should be updated again as official casualty figures, road conditions and trekking access information change.
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Can I still trek in Nepal after the recent floods?
The major flash flood struck on August 26, 2026, with the worst destruction occurring along the Bhote Koshi river corridor in northern Nepal.
As of August 31, 903 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal, with 4,247 people still reported missing. The figures remain subject to change as search operations continue.
Rasuwa is among the worst-affected districts, with severe damage to settlements, roads and hydropower infrastructure.
Langtang requires specific route verification because the trekking area is accessed through Rasuwa, one of the districts directly affected by the flood. Check current road and trail conditions before departure.
The Everest Base Camp route is outside the main flood zone. Trekkers should nevertheless check flight schedules, weather and current trail conditions before travelling.
Annapurna Base Camp is outside the main flood-affected area. Local monsoon conditions and transportation between Kathmandu and Pokhara should still be checked.
Travel is possible subject to current road conditions, but the Kathmandu–Pokhara highway has experienced flood and landslide damage. Confirm the road situation before departure.
Yes. The official disaster figures include foreign nationals among those still unaccounted for, while many foreign visitors have also been rescued.
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology provides river monitoring, flood forecasts and early-warning information. Its 1155 toll-free service also provides weather and flood information.
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