- Nepal airlifted 114 people from flood-hit Rasuwa as flash floods and landslides cut off border communities.
- The Cabinet declared three districts disaster-hit and ordered free treatment and emergency rescue on August twenty-six, twenty twenty-six.
- India sent 10 tonnes of relief supplies, while China prepared cash support and cross-border search operations.
Nepal airlifted 114 people from flood-hit Rasuwa by 3:55 pm on August 26, 2026, as rescue teams worked to reach communities cut off by flash floods on the Bhotekoshi River. The government simultaneously sought rescue assistance from India and China.
The evacuations remained underway through the afternoon. The Nepal Army, private helicopter companies and other security agencies joined the response as floodwater and landslides damaged roads, settlements and border infrastructure near the Tibet frontier.
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Government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel said Kathmandu had formally approached both neighboring countries. The Foreign Ministry was coordinating the requests, he said.
“We have asked both India and China to help us with the rescue efforts.”
Pokharel also said both governments had indicated that they would provide assistance. “We are coordinating with the Chinese and Indian governments through the Foreign Ministry,” he said. “We have been informed that both countries will provide the necessary assistance.”
The Cabinet declared Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading disaster crisis-hit areas on August 26. Officials ordered the immediate rescue of injured and stranded people and directed authorities to provide free treatment and emergency aid.
The evacuation expanded as helicopters reached isolated settlements
The army deployed 15 helicopters to move residents and travelers from isolated locations. Flights carried people from Timure to Dhunche and from Timure to Trishuli, while crews also operated in Mailung and Betravati.
Seriously injured victims were to be flown to Kathmandu. Medical teams were instructed to provide initial treatment at camps in Dhunche, Rasuwa, and Bidur, Nuwakot.
The response also required fuel deliveries. A tanker carrying 16,000 litres was sent to Nuwakot to support helicopters operating in the flood zone.
The evacuation figures changed as aircraft completed additional sorties. One account put the army’s total at 88 people by the afternoon. Another breakdown said the army rescued 85 people and private helicopter companies evacuated 29, producing a combined total of 114.
India prepared aircraft, supplies and rescue teams
India dispatched 10 tonnes of humanitarian, disaster-relief and medical material on an Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The shipment included medical kits and solar lamps.
| Indian resource | Status or role |
|---|---|
| C-130J Super Hercules | Delivered 10 tonnes of relief and rescue material |
| C-17 Globemaster | Held on standby |
| NDRF teams | Prepared for deployment |
| Technical experts | Included in the standby response |
| C-295 aircraft | Reported ready alongside other aircraft |
| Medical teams and earth-moving machinery | Prepared for possible deployment |
Indian officials also kept additional aircraft and rescue personnel ready. The response was coordinated with Nepal and China around the Rasuwagadhi border, while officials in Bihar monitored river levels and reinforced NDRF teams downstream.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Prime Minister Balendra Shah and offered support for Nepal’s emergency response. Modi said India was prepared to provide “all possible types of humanitarian assistance” and that “Our teams are closely coordinating on rescue and relief efforts.”
He also expressed condolences for those killed or missing and said India stood with the Nepali people during the crisis. Shah received the call as Nepal coordinated rescue and relief operations along the border.
China offered cash while search teams worked across the border
China communicated that it was ready to provide immediate support. Ambassador Zhang Maoming asked Nepal’s Finance Ministry to begin the process for transferring cash assistance.
Chinese President Xi Jinping directed relevant authorities to urgently increase search, rescue and relief operations on the Tibet side after flooding affected communities on both sides of the border. Authorities conducted large-scale searches in the Gyirong border area.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said preparations were underway to bring Indian relief supplies to Kathmandu on Wednesday. He said officials were coordinating the response and assessing the country’s requirements.
“The Indian side has already informed us that they will send immediate relief materials to Nepal.”
Khanal added that “The Chinese side has also communicated with us to extend possible support.” He said, “We are now assessing our requirements.”
Emergency financing could reach Rs 25 billion
The disaster response also drew an emergency financing offer from the World Bank. Country Director for Nepal David Sislen contacted Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle at about 10:35 am and said up to Rs 25 billion could be mobilized from various sources.
The offer came as the government arranged evacuations, treatment and relief in districts affected by the flood surge. The initial government order placed responsibility on the home and defense ministries to move injured and stranded people to safety immediately.
The flood entered the river system after a sudden surge from the Tibet side. It struck the Bhote Koshi corridor near the Nepal-China border, damaging transport links and border facilities and cutting off parts of the route.
Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading entered the government’s crisis designation
The Cabinet’s crisis designation covered three local administrative areas: Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading. Officials directed authorities to provide emergency aid and free treatment to victims while helicopter operations continued.
Flooding also raised concern in India, especially in Bihar, where authorities monitored river levels and reinforced disaster-response teams. The cross-border response therefore combined evacuations in Nepal, preparedness in India and search operations on the Chinese side.
The scale of the disaster remained unsettled. One report put the death toll at 22 with hundreds missing. Another reported 30 dead and several hundred unaccounted for, while a separate account said at least 95 people had died in Nepal and China combined.
Reports also differed on missing Indian nationals. One Indian account cited 133 missing people, while another later figure based on tourism-board and preliminary records put the number at 105. A separate report described around 105 Indians among the foreign nationals reported missing.
The changing counts reflected rescue operations still in progress. By the afternoon, one report said the army had rescued 88 people, while the wider tally reached 114 after private helicopter evacuations were included.
The next phase will depend on access to the damaged corridor and the arrival of foreign assistance. Indian aircraft, NDRF personnel, medical teams, technical experts and earth-moving machinery remained ready, while Nepal continued flying people from isolated settlements to treatment and transport hubs.
