Nepal’s pathway to reconstruction and rehabilitation after the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi disaster
Summary
The 2026 Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood caused an estimated NPR 723.31 billion in losses and damaged homes, roads, schools, health facilities and hydropower projects across Nepal. The article calls for a three-tier financing strategy using global climate funds, donor mobilization and technical support to rebuild and rehabilitate affected areas.
Key Points
- The official damage assessment puts total losses from the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi flood at NPR 723.31 billion, or about 35 percent of Nepal’s national budget.
- The disaster killed at least 1,386 people, left 5,130 missing and displaced more than 84,000 residents.
- Hydropower infrastructure suffered major damage, including operational and under-construction projects, while thousands of homes and public facilities were destroyed.
- The article argues Nepal should use climate finance mechanisms such as the FRLD, GCF, GEF and the Santiago Network to support recovery and reconstruction.
