In short
- 1,341 dead and 4,996 missing. More than 22,100 children affected
- 1,233 children in 30 holding centres, including 102 who lost both parents
- Most are in two places: Uttargaya in Rasuwa and Bidur in Nuwakot
- No reliable list of who the children are. Records are patchy and birth certificates were lost with the houses
- No abuse confirmed, but the risk is high. Children don't know where to report harm
- The ask: protect by need, not equal relief for all, with institutional care as the last resort
The scale of the disaster
On 26 August 2026, a glacier collapse above the Lhende Khola sent a flash flood down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. 15 local areas across six districts were declared disaster-affected.
1,341
dead, 6,075 injured and 4,996 missing
22,100+
children affected, 2,600 of them under five
3,930
people in 30 shelters in Nuwakot and Rasuwa
13,104
people rescued by 21,465+ security personnel
Homes1,267 destroyed, 1,253 damaged
Schools19 destroyed, 6,901 students out of class
Bridges41 swept away, 4 damaged
Health4 facilities destroyed, 2 hospitals cut off
WaterSupply cut to about 4,465 households
Farming2,035 livestock and 16,500 poultry lost
Where the children are
1,233 children in 30 holding centres on 4 September — 632 girls and 601 boys.
| Children in holding centres | Total | Lost both parents | Separated from parents | Living with a parent | With disabilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bidur, Nuwakot | 614 | 27 | 206 | 381 | 5 |
| Uttargaya, Rasuwa | 266 | 57 | 0 | 209 | 3 |
| Belkotgadhi, Nuwakot | 152 | 0 | 52 | 100 | 0 |
| Gosaikunda, Rasuwa | 112 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| Galchhi and Gajuri, Dhading | 62 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Kispang, Nuwakot | 27 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| All centres | 1,233 | 102 | 439 | 692 | 21 |
Local figures don't always add up to the totals, because centres record children differently.
Children outside the count
- Moved to Kathmandu monasteries: whole villages from Amachhodingmo and Gosaikunda, with no count of children who lost parents
- About 200 missing from Uttargaya, and 24 from Kispang
- 80 children in Tarakeshwar can't reach school since the bridge was washed away
- Bidur has barred moving children outside the municipality, so they are staying close to home
The main risks to children
Records and separation
- No record of who a child came with or who cares for them now at many shelters
- Birth certificates and school records lost in most destroyed homes
- Communication cut, so families can't reach relatives
Safety in shelters
- 120+ people sleeping in one shelter with no registration, including strangers
- No privacy for women and girls to bathe, change or breastfeed
- Trafficking and child marriage risk in areas already prone to both
Health and daily life
- Shortages of water, soap, pads and clothes at many shelters
- Days of instant noodles only for children at one Dhading shelter
- About 4,430 pregnant women, with 74 likely to need emergency birth care
Learning and wellbeing
- No play, learning or counselling at any shelter visited
- Signs of fear, stress and withdrawal; most children couldn't speak freely
- No wheelchairs or accessible toilets for children with disabilities
Schools
- 12 schools fully destroyed on the visits alone, 8 in Nuwakot and 4 in Rasuwa
- Teachers and students still missing: 200+ students at one Uttargaya school, 100+ at another in Nuwakot, and a Bidur school bus with 100+ students
- Standing schools filled with mud, more than three feet deep at one Dhading school of 415 students
- 900 students saved by a Nuwakot head teacher who moved them ten minutes before the flood hit
- Free schooling through Grade 12, with accommodation, promised by Bagmati Province for children who lost guardians
What the assessment recommends
Eight priorities, in order
- Protect the most vulnerableFind children who lost parents, reunite families, safe shelter
- Water, food and healthEspecially for infants and young children
- Keep children learningTemporary classrooms and school supplies
- Mental healthPsychological first aid and referral
- Protection from harmAbuse, exploitation, child marriage, trafficking
- InclusionRelief that reaches girls and children with disabilities
- Family incomeCash support and rebuilding livelihoods
- Safer rebuildingChild-friendly, disaster-resilient schools and clinics
When
First 30 daysFind at-risk children, trace families, register everyone, safe water and food, a child protection desk at every centre
1 to 6 monthsReopen schools and clinics, support family income, strengthen child protection
6 months onwardSafe rebuilding, child-friendly disaster planning, children's voices in decisions
Who should do what
- Federal government: one plan across ministries, one verified list of affected children, and raising climate justice for children internationally
- Province: a budget for children in disasters, counsellors for every local area, and stronger 1098 and 104 child helplines
- Local government: a named child protection contact at every shelter, and free reissue of birth certificates and school records
- Charities: family tracing, safe spaces for children, and consent before using any child's photo or story
- Aid agencies: cash support for high-risk families, and schools rebuilt safer than before
- Private donors: school bags, books and learning materials, given through local government so no family is missed
The conclusion
- A long-term crisis for children, not only a relief emergency
- Indigenous and marginalised communities hit hardest, as in past disasters
- Floods like this are becoming more likely as the climate warms
- Protect by need, not equal relief for all, with child protection first
About the assessment
- Led by the National Child Rights Council, with Save the Children, UNICEF, Civin Nepal, Consortium Nepal and Youth Alliance for Environment
- Fieldwork 31 August to 4 September 2026, in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Tanahun and Chitwan
- Method: 27 interviews, 15 group discussions with families and children, and visits to 15 sites
- Limits: many figures are first counts that change daily as families move and reunite
Find the full report (in Nepali) here