Nepal in mourning: 1,340 flash flood victims remembered, thousands still missing

Nepal observed a national day of mourning on Monday, September 7, 2026, honouring more than 1,340 people who perished in flash floods triggered by an ice-rock avalanche in the high Himalayas. The day was declared by the government to commemorate the 13th day since the disaster, in line with traditional Hindu rites.

The floods struck Rasuwa district, which shares a border with China, and adjoining districts of Nuwakot and Dhading on August 26. The avalanche-induced flooding swept through areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, causing extensive loss of life and widespread destruction of homes, roads, bridges, hydropower projects and other public infrastructure across northern and central Nepal.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the national flag was flown at half-mast at all government offices in the country and at Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad. The ministry issued a statement on Sunday saying, “The national flag will be flown at half-mast at government offices across the country and at Nepali diplomatic missions abroad.” The 13th day is considered an important marker in Hinduism, as it concludes the formal mourning period. Rituals are performed on this day to honour the deceased and support their onward journey.

The scale of the disaster is immense. Nearly 5,000 people, including 589 foreign nationals, remain unaccounted for. At least 32,000 families have been displaced, and around 7,500 houses have been completely destroyed. The flash floods also severely damaged roads, bridges, hydropower plants and government offices, disrupting livelihoods and essential services.

Search and rescue operations are continuing in the worst-affected areas. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed, supported by specialised international rescue teams. Focus remains on the tunnels of hydropower projects, where people may still be trapped; many of the missing are believed to be workers who were inside the tunnels when the avalanche struck. Teams from neighbouring countries, including India, have joined the efforts to locate missing persons and recover bodies.

In addition to rescue work, the government has mobilised agencies for relief and recovery. Temporary shelters and relief supplies have been arranged for displaced families. Officials say the process of assessing the full extent of damage is underway.

Meanwhile, the government has declared Tuesday, September 8, as a public holiday to mark Gen Z Martyrs’ Day. The day commemorates the events of the previous year, when large-scale protests erupted in Kathmandu. Demonstrators were opposing a government decision to ban social media platforms, alleged corruption, and what they described as the extravagant lifestyles of children of influential politicians and officials.

Those protests turned violent after security personnel opened fire near Parliament, killing 72 people, including children. The incident triggered a political crisis, forcing then-Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign. The government led by the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress collapsed, Parliament was dissolved, and a caretaker administration took over.

Fresh parliamentary elections were eventually held on March 5 this year. The polls resulted in a decisive victory for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which is seen as sympathetic to the Gen Z movement. Former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah became Prime Minister with the support of an almost two-thirds parliamentary majority.