Assessment of Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Flood Damages to Take About a Month, Uncertainty Remains

The National Planning Commission has deployed over 250 personnel to assess the damages caused by floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. The commission has indicated that a comprehensive damage report may take approximately one month to complete. They plan to gather data from every ward in the affected municipalities of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. Arjunjung Thapa, a member of the commission, stated that the collected data will represent the most detailed and accurate figures on this disaster to date.
“We have started collecting data through clear public notifications because so far, there has been no comprehensive information about vehicles, involved laborers, or various businesses,” Thapa explained. “This effort is not possible without cooperation from local governments.”
The Head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority noted that the recovery plan framework may change once the commission’s collected data is received. According to updated figures from the authority, nearly 5,800 people—including foreign nationals—are still unaccounted for, while 1,451 bodies and remains have been recovered.
The Cabinet has already directed the National Planning Commission to conduct a broad evaluation of damages in human, economic, social, and infrastructure sectors. Based on the data collected, the commission will prepare a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report along with a reconstruction plan including financial requirements. Earlier, the authority had released a preliminary report estimating that reconstruction after the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods would cost more than NPR 7 billion.
According to commission member Thapa, that initial report was based on rough calculations from satellite imagery. It estimated that around 7,570 private houses across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan districts were either completely washed away or buried under soil. “The data we are about to release will be compiled officially in coordination with affected families, neighbors, and local representatives,” Thapa said. “This will provide the clearest figures yet.”
The commission will use questionnaires covering 11 sectors to gather information. Each team will include a technical expert, an administrative staffer, and a statistical service employee. They will collect details on households, local conditions, and damage to update the database online. This method is expected to ensure consistency in the data. “The survey will include house details such as number of floors, construction materials, and household items like refrigerators and televisions. Similarly, over 4,000 businesses will have verified records collected,” Thapa explained.
Thapa highlighted that these extensive data will serve as a crucial foundation for the government’s international claims for compensation related to damage caused by climate change. “It will also assist in implementing protective measures and preventive strategies in the future,” he added. “Moreover, the data will aid in identifying alternative settlement locations for communities along affected riverbanks, thereby supporting reliable reconstruction plans.”
Dharma Raj Upreti, Executive Chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, inspected hydropower projects in the Trishuli river area on Tuesday. He also held discussions with rescue teams, local leaders, and district disaster management committees. “We will decide within one or two days how long rescue operations will continue, likely by the end of this week,” Upreti said. “The government is preparing to declare highly affected villages and areas where river courses have changed as uninhabitable.” Consequently, the process for land transfer will proceed. Upreti noted, “Many operations are currently being conducted simultaneously.”
The National Planning Commission’s data collection will cover private homes, drinking water systems, government buildings, businesses, hydropower plants, substations, transmission lines, irrigation channels, roads, suspension bridges, vehicle bridges, and local roads. Commission member Thapa stated, “Data collected concerning human losses—from private homes and businesses—will provide the most accurate damage assessment.”