Nepal warns of more possible floods as communities grapple with devastation

**Nepal Issues Flood Warning as Communities Continue to Recover**

*Dhading, Nepal – August 30, 2026* – Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) warned on Sunday of the possibility of additional flooding after water levels rose in the Bhotekoshi River. The agency sent flood‑warning alerts to residents’ mobile phones and urged people in the affected districts to remain on high alert.

Rescue teams were working to clear the Prithvi Highway, a key supply route that connects Kathmandu with the flood‑hit regions, after the catastrophic floods that struck on Wednesday. The highway, which carries food, fuel and other essential goods into the capital, is largely operational, though some sections still require repairs.

In the town of Galchhi, residents sought higher ground on a nearby bridge as the river surged past. Large rocks displaced by the earlier floods were visible downstream, and people standing on a suspension bridge were warned to move back by the use of whistles. Along the riverbank, homes, vehicles and farm tractors protruded from thick grey‑brown sediment that has buried entire villages. Rice terraces along the river have also suffered landslides, with portions of fields collapsing into the water.

The combined death toll from the floods in Nepal and the neighboring Tibetan region now stands at 750, with more than 3,000 people reported missing. Nepal’s disaster agency reported 734 deaths and 2,498 missing persons, while Chinese authorities said 16 people were dead and 546 missing, including over a hundred Nepalis and nationals from more than a dozen countries.

The latest warning followed a notice from Chinese officials that increased water flow upstream was expected. Dharam Raj Uprety, chief executive of NDRRMA, told the Associated Press that the upstream surge could trigger further flooding in Nepal’s downstream communities.

Local residents described the ongoing strain of repeated alerts. “Sometimes they say a flood is coming, then we have to run again to higher ground, even at night. There is also rain,” said Govind Shreshta, who is caring for his elderly parents. “It’s really difficult for me… It’s going on like this for those who are still alive.”

Infrastructure damage has further complicated relief efforts. Large concrete bridges and smaller suspension bridges were destroyed, isolating communities on opposite sides of the river. “Those that are there are now stuck there. Those who are here are stuck here. It’s going to be very difficult,” said 47‑year‑old Sattan Singh Tamang, who was working near a bridge when the floods occurred.

Even homes and businesses that escaped the worst of the water remain without electricity, as twisted power‑line poles and wires lie tangled in the mud.

Authorities continue to monitor river levels and have asked residents to stay prepared for possible additional flooding while rescue and reconstruction work proceeds.

Article and image source: koreatimes.co.kr