CIVICUS discusses the humanitarian response to the Nepal-Tibet floods with Prasansha Singh, Programme Coordinator at Hamro Prayas (Our Effort), an organisation led by women and girls that works with marginalised women, young people and children across Nepal’s Madhesh Province to advance their dignity, rights, leadership and opportunities, and works with communities to address the inequalities and social barriers that affect their lives.

On 26 August, a glacier collapse and ice-rock avalanche in the Himalayas triggered flash floods along Nepal’s Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system, devastating communities across several districts. The floods destroyed homes, livelihoods and essential infrastructure, while roads, bridges and communication networks were cut off, further hampering search, rescue and relief efforts. Civil society, humanitarian organisations, local authorities and security forces are all continuing to play an important role in the response, working alongside affected communities to provide immediate assistance and support. The government is also making continued efforts to coordinate with national and international partners and mobilise additional resources, expertise and support to strengthen the response and address the emerging needs of affected communities.

What caused the flood, and what’s the scale of the damage?

An avalanche from the high Himalayas sent a massive volume of debris, ice and rock into the Bhotekoshi River. According to a government report and communities in the affected areas, this likely created a temporary blockage that then failed, unleashing an extremely powerful flash flood. The water swept downstream along the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system, tearing through eight districts. It moved so fast that communities had almost no time to react or warn others.

Settlements along the river corridors have been flooded, washed away or buried under debris and mud. The destruction has gone far beyond individual homes. Roads and bridges have been cut off, health facilities and schools have been damaged or destroyed, communication and electricity services have been disrupted and many livelihoods and local businesses have been wiped out.

Thousands of families have been directly or indirectly affected, losing relatives, homes, land and livelihoods. For many survivors, what was once their home and community has been reduced to debris, mud and uncertainty.

Many people are still waiting for news of relatives who remain missing, and because search, recovery and identification operations are ongoing, the figures keep changing. The latest report puts the death toll at almost 1,400, with 5,200 people still missing. Behind these numbers are families still waiting, grieving and holding on to hope. Many have lost the people, homes and livelihoods that gave them a sense of security, while others are living with fear and uncertainty about what comes next.

What role is civil society playing in the response?

With the budget and resources available, we prepared essential hygiene and dignity materials for women, girls and children, packing every item ourselves for emergency distribution. Across the affected areas, other civil society organisations and voluntary groups have been responding according to the needs they are seeing on the ground. Some are providing support directly, while others are coordinating with partner organisations and networks to collect and deliver relief materials to the affected areas. Support has included basic medicines, clothes, food, hygiene and sanitation kits and other essential supplies, as well as counselling and psychosocial support for people who are experiencing fear, stress and trauma after the floods.

These efforts are reaching people who have been directly affected and those facing indirect impacts, including families who have been displaced or separated from their usual sources of food, income, services and support. Civil society groups are continuing to respond through in-person and remote coordination, trying to connect available support with communities where it is most urgently needed.

But the geography and scale of the destruction have made the response very difficult. Damaged roads and bridges and disrupted communications have complicated search, rescue and the delivery of relief materials. A journey that used to take four to five hours can now take more than a day.

How is the government working with international partners?

The government has been coordinating continuously with neighbouring states, international organisations and development and humanitarian partners to mobilise resources, technical assistance and specialised equipment for the ongoing response. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this includes technical and equipment support, with international partners working alongside Nepali authorities as search, rescue and recovery efforts continue. This cooperation is important for the immediate emergency response and for helping Nepal restore essential infrastructure and services that have been severely damaged.

The government has set up a fund for disaster response, but the scale of the destruction means that financial assistance, emergency supplies and specialised technical support are still urgently needed.

Many communities are still waiting for assistance, while search, recovery and identification operations continue. Continued international cooperation and support will remain essential in the coming days and weeks, as Nepal responds to the immediate crisis and begins the longer process of recovery and reconstruction.

What needs to happen next?

Following the immediate response, rehabilitation is just as important, and this includes building temporary housing, fixing roads, restoring electricity, communications, education and health services and rebuilding livelihoods. Much of the damaged infrastructure will take a long time to repair, so the international response will need to move beyond immediate relief towards longer-term planning.

There is also a need to prepare for what may come after the immediate emergency. Following a disaster of this scale, communities can face longer-term risks, including disease outbreaks, displacement, loss of livelihoods and protection concerns, with women, girls and children often facing additional risks. Recovery cannot end with the delivery of emergency supplies. People will need continued support to rebuild their homes and livelihoods, regain access to education and health services, and restore a sense of safety and stability.

People need more than immediate relief. They need a safe and dignified path towards rebuilding their lives. Reconstruction must cover all the areas destroyed and be carried out more safely, minimising future risk and strengthening the resilience of private structures and housing. Strong preparedness and monitoring systems will be essential, alongside greater coordination between civil society, government and diplomatic partners.

Nepal’s experience is a reminder of the wider climate injustice faced by global south countries. Countries like Nepal contribute very little to global emissions, yet communities living in fragile and climate-vulnerable environments are often among those facing some of the most devastating consequences of a changing climate. We need stronger international solidarity, commitments and climate justice, with every country recognising its responsibility to help reduce disaster risk, support vulnerable communities to prepare for and withstand such disasters and ensure countries and communities facing the greatest risks are not left to carry the burden alone.

We need to reduce disaster risk not only in Nepal, but across other developing and least developed countries facing similar vulnerabilities, so that future disasters do not continue to cost lives, destroy livelihoods and leave communities struggling to recover.

CIVICUS interviews a wide range of civil society activists, experts and leaders to gather diverse perspectives on civil society action and current issues for publication on its CIVICUS Lens platform. The views expressed in interviews are the interviewees’ and do not necessarily reflect those of CIVICUS. Publication does not imply endorsement of interviewees or the organisations they represent.