Story perspectives

Floods Leave 1,300 Dead as Nepal Searches Thousands Missing

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 10:55 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Rescue teams in Nepal are searching for thousands of missing people after floods killed over 1,300.
The flood began on August 26 when a glacial collapse entered the Bhotekoshi River from Tibet at 9:05 a.m.
Authorities estimated damage at 387.5 billion rupees (US$2.56 billion).
Rapid assessment placed reconstruction needs at about 723.3 billion rupees (US$4.8 billion).
India agreed to export power to Nepal 18 hours daily until Dec 31, 2026.

History

Historical Context

In 2016, Nepal drained over 4 million cubic metres from Imja Lake to lower flood risk, after earlier studies in 1996 identified five high-altitude lakes—including Imja—as dangerous. Accelerated melt linked to climate change also triggered the 2024 Thame flood, prompting Nepal’s 2019 National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and cross-border early-warning cooperation with India.

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Story summary

Rescue teams in Nepal are searching for thousands of missing people after floods killed over 1,300.
The flood began on August 26 when a glacial collapse entered the Bhotekoshi River from Tibet at 9:05 a.m.
Authorities estimated damage at 387.5 billion rupees (US$2.56 billion).
Rapid assessment placed reconstruction needs at about 723.3 billion rupees (US$4.8 billion).
India agreed to export power to Nepal 18 hours daily until Dec 31, 2026.

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