On August 26, a flash flood swept through parts of Bagmati Province, leaving a trail of destruction across Rasuwa and neighbouring areas. Homes, roads and livelihoods were washed away, families were displaced and many people lost loved ones. Preliminary assessments suggest that a combination of glacier breaking away and landslides may have triggered the devastating flow, although the exact cause is still being investigated.
For those who survived, the flood has left a life they barely recognise. Homes have disappeared, families have been torn apart, and temporary shelters have become the only place of safety for many displaced people. In schools and other makeshift shelters, families are now trying to cope with the loss of loved ones facing an uncertain future. For women and children in particular, displacement brings another layer of danger, as separation and family disruption increase their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking.
In the aftermath, the full extent of what families had lost began to emerge. Among those most in need were pregnant women and new mothers, suddenly facing an emergency without the essentials needed to care for themselves and their babies. To respond to this immediate reality, GSIF Nepal provided prenatal and postnatal care kits to families affected by the floods, bringing essential clothing, food, bedding and hygiene supplies to mothers and newborns.
During their field visit to Rasuwa, the local team saw the situation first-hand, meeting families in temporary holding centres who had lost almost everything. Some had returned briefly to their village to carry out funeral and mourning rituals before coming back to the shelters. Others shared about the uncertainty of having nowhere safe to call home. During the visit, they were able to see how roads and infrastructure had been badly damaged, making some areas difficult and dangerous to reach. Yet the devastation only underscored the urgency of reaching the families still waiting for assistance.
Alongside local authorities, government bodies and other organisations responding to the crisis, GSIF Nepal took part in coordination efforts to help ensure that relief could reach properly families in need.
Reflecting on the journey, Sister Precilla Noronha said,
“The journey is very challenging and scary, but our spirit is strong to reach the people.”
That spirit is at the heart of the GSIF mission, as immediate needs are clear, but so are the challenges ahead. The floods may have taken away homes, belongings and livelihoods, but they have not taken away the strength of the people facing this crisis and the determination we have as GSIF to walk on their side.
