Kathmandu: Nepal faces a major recovery and rebuilding effort after catastrophic floods caused widespread destruction across the country, with property, housing and infrastructure losses estimated at 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees ($2.56 billion), according to the country’s disaster authority chief.
Dharma Raj Upreti, chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, told that the estimated losses covered homes, roads and other infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the floods. Upreti said a detailed assessment would be carried out to determine the full scale of the damage.
The country is expected to need around $52.6 million during the first four months of the early recovery phase. The funds would be used to rebuild roads and temporary shelters, provide drinking water and restore electricity in affected areas.
“These are estimated amounts. We have calculated this in coordination with different concerned agencies and departments,” Upreti added.
The disaster has also left Nepal facing a major housing crisis. Authorities estimate that around 20,000 houses will need to be rebuilt in flood-ravaged areas, with at least 7,500 homes already confirmed destroyed.
The floods followed the collapse of a glacier on August 26, which sent a powerful flow of ice, rock and mud down the Trishuli River in Nepal’s border region with China. The disaster swept through towns and villages, causing extensive destruction and displacing thousands of people.
More than 1,250 people have been killed, while more than 4,200 remain missing, according to the latest figures cited by authorities. Rescue teams have continued searching affected areas while displaced residents face shortages of shelter and essential services.
The scale of the destruction has placed additional pressure on Nepal’s disaster response and reconstruction agencies. Restoring roads and electricity is expected to be among the immediate priorities, particularly in communities cut off by damaged infrastructure.
Authorities are also working to provide temporary housing and access to safe drinking water as affected communities begin recovering from the disaster. The government is expected to conduct a broader assessment before final reconstruction costs are established.
The disaster highlights the vulnerability of communities in Nepal’s mountainous regions, where glacial activity, landslides and extreme weather can trigger sudden and destructive floods. For thousands of displaced residents, the immediate focus remains on finding missing people and restoring basic services before longer-term rebuilding begins.
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