Nepal flash floods: Over 7,500 houses damaged, roads worth Rs 30 billion destroyed in initial assessment

Nepal is beginning to reckon with the staggering scale of destruction caused by the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. An initial assessment has found that thousands of private homes, roads, bridges, drinking water facilities and other infrastructure have been damaged across five districts, with the preliminary losses running into billions of Nepali rupees. According to details compiled by Nepal’s Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, 7,570 houses have been affected in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. Of these, 1,253 houses have been completely destroyed, while 6,317 have suffered severe damage. Most of the badly damaged houses cannot be made habitable through immediate repairs and are likely to require reconstruction.

Private homes alone suffer losses of over Rs 17 billion

The department’s preliminary assessment puts the damage to private houses across the five districts at around 17.31 billion Nepali rupees. The figures were compiled after teams from the department visited the flood-hit areas and assessed the destruction on the ground. The assessment is still underway, meaning the overall damage figure could change as more information becomes available. The department has also reported damage to 45 buildings belonging to government agencies. The preliminary loss to these structures has been estimated at around 4.5 billion Nepali rupees. There is a minor discrepancy in the preliminary figures released in the input, with one assessment referring to 7,570 damaged homes and another departmental update mentioning 7,580. The detailed district-wise figures total 7,570 homes.

Over 1770 houses damaged in Rasuwa

Rasuwa has reported damage to 1,779 houses, with the estimated financial loss standing at around 5.0798 billion Nepali rupees. In Gosainkunda, 1,043 houses were damaged, resulting in an estimated loss of 2.4986 billion rupees. In Kalika, 112 houses were destroyed, with losses estimated at 184.8 million rupees. Similarly, 57 houses were damaged in Aamachhodingmo, causing an estimated loss of 94 million rupees. In Uttargaya, 567 houses were completely destroyed, with the estimated loss reaching around 2.3023 billion rupees.

Nuwakot records the highest number of damaged homes

Nuwakot has emerged as the worst affected district in terms of the number of damaged private houses. A total of 3,977 houses have been affected, with the estimated loss pegged at 9.2262 billion Nepali rupees. In Belkotgadhi, 212 houses were destroyed, causing an estimated loss of around 600 million rupees. Bidur Municipality reported damage to 3,026 houses, with the loss estimated at approximately 7.1758 billion rupees.

In Kispang, 696 houses were washed away by the floodwaters, resulting in losses of around 1.3024 billion rupees. Tarkeshwar Municipality reported damage to 43 houses, with the estimated loss standing at 147.9 million rupees.

Dhading reports damage to 1,451 homes

In Dhading, 1,451 houses have been damaged, with the preliminary financial loss estimated at around 2.4095 billion Nepali rupees. Benighat Rorang recorded damage to 1,037 houses, resulting in an estimated loss of 1.7264 billion rupees. In Gajuri, 107 houses were damaged, with losses estimated at 176.5 million rupees. Another 79 houses were damaged in Galchhi, causing an estimated loss of 130.3 million rupees. In Siddhalek, 228 houses were affected, with the damage estimated at 376.2 million rupees.

Gorkha and Chitwan also badly affected

Gorkha has reported damage to 263 houses, with estimated losses of around 433.9 million Nepali rupees. Of these, 248 houses were affected in Gandaki and 15 in Shahid Lakhan. In Chitwan, 100 houses in Ichchhakamana were damaged. The financial loss there has been estimated at approximately 165 million rupees.

Roads worth Rs 30 billion damaged

The floods have also inflicted massive damage on Nepal’s road network, threatening connectivity in several affected areas. According to the Department of Roads, the country’s national road infrastructure has suffered losses of around 30 billion Nepali rupees. Around 40 kilometres of the 82-kilometre Galchhi-Syafrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road has been completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt.

The Krishnabhir section of the Prithvi Highway has also sustained damage. At least 31 bridges were washed away in the floods, while three others were damaged. The Department of Roads estimates that rebuilding the damaged roads and bridges could cost around 50 billion Nepali rupees.

The devastation has extended to suspension bridges as well. Fifty-three suspension bridges in Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been affected. Of these, 33 were completely washed away, while 20 are considered repairable.

Local infrastructure also suffers heavy losses

Nepal’s Department of Local Infrastructure Development has estimated damage to local infrastructure at around 1.25 billion Nepali rupees. With road connectivity disrupted in several locations, authorities are exploring temporary alternatives to restore access. Ropeways are being planned at three locations in Rasuwa and two in Nuwakot.

Ropeway work has already been completed at Vidur, Belkotgadhi and Indra Chowk in Nuwakot, while preparations are underway for similar arrangements in Rasuwa. The estimated cost includes around 400 million Nepali rupees for repairing rural roads, 150 million rupees for repairing suspension bridges and approximately 600 million rupees for rebuilding new ropeways.

Drinking water systems badly hit

The floods have also disrupted drinking water infrastructure in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Gorkha and Dhading. According to the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management, 10 drinking water reservoir tanks have been damaged in Rasuwa, while Nuwakot has reported damage to 111 tanks. Seven tanks have been affected in Dhading and another 24 in Gorkha. The overall damage to drinking water infrastructure is estimated at around 640 million Nepali rupees. Sewerage and sanitation infrastructure has suffered an additional loss of approximately 290 million rupees.

Nuwakot receives 1 million litres of water every day

Despite the damage to the water supply network, authorities are managing to provide around one million litres of drinking water every day in Nuwakot through pumping arrangements. In Kathmandu, four water tankers are being used to supply water to temporary relief camps. A ‘water ambulance’ has also been deployed to monitor water quality and carry out other essential tasks related to the emergency water supply. Restoring drinking water services in Rasuwa, however, remains a major challenge.

According to a government official, authorities are working to establish temporary structures and restore water supplies over the next one-and-a-half to two months. Rebuilding permanent infrastructure and fully restoring the water supply system could take around two years.

Nepal faces a long road to rebuilding

The initial damage assessment shows that the floods have affected far more than homes. Critical transport links, bridges, irrigation and drinking water systems have all been hit, creating a complex recovery challenge for Nepal. The destruction of major stretches of roads and dozens of bridges could make the movement of people, relief material and essential supplies difficult in affected areas. At the same time, damage to drinking water systems adds another layer of urgency for communities already dealing with displacement and loss of homes.

The authorities’ decision to explore temporary ropeway connections and alternative water supply arrangements indicates the immediate focus is on restoring basic connectivity and essential services while longer-term reconstruction plans are prepared.

(Inputs from Ganesh Shankar)

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