Submit your Article

By Surendra Bahadur Shahi

The Nepal Disaster Report 2024 officially recorded 3,672 disaster-related deaths and NPR 23.60 billion in economic losses between July 2018 and July 2024.

 On average, this translates to approximately 612 deaths and NPR 3.93 billion in economic losses per year. These figures underscore that Nepal remains in a highly vulnerable zone regarding natural hazards.

Drawing on Wittgenstein's (1953) concept of 'family resemblance', Anthony Oliver-Smith (2020) defines a disaster as a phenomenon characterized by overlapping features rather than a single defining trait. Considering the Bhotekoshi flash flood of 26 August 2026, it was far more than a simple flood.

According to available evidence from government and scientific assessments, a massive slide of ice, rock, and soil failed, blocking the river and creating a temporary dam that lasted for approximately 18–19 hours. The eventual breach released a huge volume of water, ice, rock, sediment, and debris.

The steep, narrow valley accelerated and concentrated this flow, generating the flood's immense destructive power. As Nepal prepares to resettle the affected population, critical questions must be confronted: How did so many people come to live and trade in this exposed corridor? Where should they be relocated? And how can we avoid perpetuating these vulnerabilities?

The glacial trigger is primarily relevant for understanding the physical mechanism of the event, but it does not explain why the disaster caused such extensive loss of life, destroyed billions of rupees in property, and displaced numerous residents.

For survival and economic prosperity, human settlements are frequently established near vital resources—such as water, trade routes, and hydropower potential. However, once a hazard materializes, this proximity transforms into a major source of danger. Exposure is constructed through deep, historically embedded social, political, and economic processes long before a hazard strikes.

The corridor running through Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading (the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli River corridor)—specifically Trishuli Bazar in Nuwakot, alongside Syabrubesi and Timure in Rasuwa—historically served as a vital salt and grain trade network connecting Kathmandu to Tibet.

Later, the construction of the Trishuli Hydropower Project in the 1960s, followed by Rasuwagadhi, Chilime, Trishuli 3A, and around 15 other hydro projects, brought thousands of engineers, laborers, and business proprietors to the riverbanks of Nuwakot and Dhading. Furthermore, the installation of the Trishuli Truss Bridge in 1963 connected Nuwakot and Dhading, facilitating the expansion of permanent market centers in Trishuli Bazar and surrounding riverside villages.

Settlement density further escalated following the construction of the Pasang Lhamu Highway, which linked Kathmandu to Dhunche and Syabrubesi. However, the corridor drew significant commercial focus after the 2015 earthquake forced the closure of the Tatopani border crossing.

 Consequently, the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung route emerged as the primary gateway to China. Traders, entrepreneurs, customs clearance workers, and transport drivers relocated to the riverbanks to establish warehouses, hotels, and supporting businesses. While people settled there to secure livelihoods and economic gain, they simultaneously became exposed to severe natural hazards. Investment patterns prioritized trade opportunism without incorporating independent hazard assessments.

The causal chain of a disaster is rarely confined to the spatial and temporal boundaries of the event itself. On 8 July 2025, a sudden flash flood triggered by the rapid discharge of a supraglacial lake on the Purepu Glacier in Tibet, China, caused widespread devastation along the Lende River. It damaged the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge (Miteri Pul), swept away trucks, shipping containers, and electric vehicles, and left approximately 11 people dead and 18 missing.

This event served as a clear harbinger that we failed to comprehend in time. Rather than reassessing systemic risk, institutions opted for routine repairs. A fundamental reconsideration was necessary to determine whether the bulk of Nepal-China trade and permanent settlements should continue through a high-risk river corridor following the catastrophic flood of 8 July 2025. Crucially, the root causes of vulnerability persisted even after comprehensive legislation was enacted, such as the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act (2017) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategic Action Plan (2018–2030), which operationalize the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030).

This does not imply that disaster risk reduction laws have failed; rather, it indicates that disaster risk reduction and economic development are still managed as isolated processes. In reality, they must be deeply integrated and planned cohesively. Therefore, the upcoming Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) and its reconstruction framework for the Rasuwagadhi route must break this cycle rather than reinforce it.

Government has initiated the identification of safe locations to relocate and reconstruct the settlements affected by the Bhotekoshi disaster. Prior to undertaking relocation, policymakers must recognize that restoring infrastructure to its pre-disaster baseline simply reinstates the original risk profile. Without strategic plans to construct alternative trade routes or restrict permanent settlements and storage facilities in hazardous zones, the area will remain vulnerable to recurrent disasters.

Displacement profoundly alters people's relationships with both space and place. Space encompasses the physical environment where people reside, move, work, and access resources; place embodies identity, belonging, memories, social networks, cultural practices, and emotional ties to the environment. Stakeholders must remain mindful that physical relocation can resolve spatial hazard risks while simultaneously creating complex socio-economic challenges.

In designing resettlement strategy, Nepal must extract valuable lessons from past resettlement efforts, such as those in the Ruby Valley (Dhading), Laprak (Gorkha), and Haku and Dandagaun (Rasuwa). In those regions, the government launched formal resettlement initiatives. These experiences demonstrate that resettlement is far from complete once displaced households are physically moved to safer ground.

 Instead, it must be understood as an ongoing social and political process shaped by environmental dynamics, economic opportunities, community relations, institutional policies, and resource equity. Ultimate success depends not merely on structural safety and housing quality, but on whether displaced households can restore their livelihoods, maintain vital social networks, participate meaningfully in decision-making, and access essential services.

To build a sustainable solution, the government must secure access to agricultural land, employment opportunities, trade, transport networks, markets, and diverse income sources. When affected communities remain close to their familiar socio-economic contexts, adaptation occurs far more smoothly. Furthermore, affected populations must be actively consulted in selecting relocation sites and expressing their preferences—forced resettlement frequently turns into a "second disaster" for displaced families.

 Special consideration must be extended to the distinct needs of women, older adults, persons with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged households.

 Rebuilding physical housing represents only one facet of recovery; a complete recovery demands reliable water supply, sanitation, roads, educational facilities, healthcare services, telecommunications, and sustainable economic opportunities. Achieving this requires synchronized coordination across multiple institutions overseeing land allocation, housing development, public infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, social protection, and economic welfare.

Ultimately, post-disaster recovery should not begin with the narrow question: "What happened on August 26, 2026?" Rather, it must address a deeper question: What decisions made years prior created the conditions for this vulnerability?

While a glacial breach triggered the flood event itself, trade-driven settlement patterns, inadequate hazard screening, and a reliance on short-term repairs over comprehensive planning rendered the corridor dangerously fragile.

Before rebuilding commences, these systemic lessons must be rigorously integrated into policy. It is imperative to mandate independent hazard assessments for all commercial and residential infrastructure, prohibit permanent structures within high-risk river zones, construct alternative trade routes, and ensure affected communities are central partners in deciding where and how they rebuild their lives.

The Ministry of Health and Food Safety has urged hospitals at the federal and province-levels to continue providing healthcare services during the Dashain holidays. 

The Ministry has urged all hospitals to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential health services, including emergency care, emergency surgeries, maternity services, and intensive care by making required human resources available throughout the holiday period. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said the government is committed to ending the situation that forces Nepali citizens to leave the country in search of jobs abroad by creating employment opportunities and promoting prosperity within the country.

He said this in his message of best wishes today on the occasion of the Bijaya Dashami festival.  

According to the Prime Minister, Bada Dashain has been established among citizens as a festival of family reunions along with promoting unity, mutual bonds, family interactions and stronger ties.  

Describing Bada Dashain as a festival carrying wider religious, social and cultural importance, the Prime Minister said it has contributed to uniting Nepali citizens residing in various parts of the country. 

The tradition of receiving 'tika' and 'jamara' during Dashain reflects the Nepali cultural ethos of showing respect for elders and love and affection for younger people.

The atmosphere of Bada Dashain is unique. "The sky itself feels different, the earth carries a unique fragrance, and the surroundings become naturally filled with joy and exuberance,” he said.

On the occasion of this auspicious festival, Prime Minister Shah has extended  his warmest wishes to everyone. He expressed the hope that Bada Dashain, a festival that unites the Nepali community scattered across the world, would  bring celebration and joy to every home.

Prime Minister Shah recalled that despite facing numerous challenges and difficult circumstances, the Nepali people have continued to embrace the festival celebrations while preserving their religious, cultural, and social values, as well as their unique traditions.

"Dashain has been celebrated even during the difficult times in the country whether in the aftermath of the earthquake, or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the festival came shortly after the 'Gen Z' movement and the subsequent period of heightened tension; yet, we continued to celebrate it in accordance with our customs and traditions," the Prime Minister said. 

This year too, Dashain arrives while grief over the loss and damage caused by the devastating floods that struck the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system remains fresh, the Prime Minister said, praying for eternal peace for those who lost their lives and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. 

He also extended his condolences to the bereaved families. In a post on social sites, the Head of the Government said the government is urgently working to rehabilitate those displaced by the disaster. 

The Prime Minister added that the government is aware that the celebrations of Dashain should not impose an economic burden on anyone and is working tirelessly to take the country toward good governance while taking appropriate measures to foster economic prosperity. 

Dashain is also celebrated as a symbol of the victory of truth over evil, he said, expressing his hope that the festival would inspire all Nepalis to follow the path of truth, overcome negative thoughts and conquer the evilness within themselves. 

"On a spiritual level, each of us may recognize the 'Mahishasura' and 'Ravana' within ourselves and strive to overcome them. I also wish that we may conquer lust, anger, greed, envy, and ego, which are the root causes of human suffering," he said. 

On the occasion of the Bada Dashain festival, the Fulpati is being taken into the homes as per tradition throughout the country today. 

Fulpati, an assortment of flowers, leaves and fruits of different plants considered auspicious, is anointed at the Dashain Ghar on the seventh day of the Bada Dashain festival. 

The Fulpati is brought to Kathmandu as per the Vedic rites to be anointed at the Dashain Ghar at the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar. 

A procession along with cultural pageantry leaves Hanuman Dhoka for Jamal with the Fulpati. 

Though the Dashain festival begins from Ghatasthapana, the festival sees special fervor from the day of Fulpati. 

All governments, as well as private offices, close down from today encouraging people to go back to their respective ancestral homes and take blessings from Durga Bhawani as well as their elders.