Nepal Floods: STC racing to respond in area already struck

The floods tore through Gorkha district in Northern Nepal on Sunday morning as children and communities prepared to mark the first day of the Dashain festival, a major moment in the Nepali calendar. Authorities are still assessing the full scale of the disaster including casualties. 

Children and families have been forced to flee their homes, with many facing uncertainty over where they will find safe shelter and access to essential supplies. 

Save the Children is mobilising a response team to support the children and communities most in need with life-saving assistance. This includes essential emergency supplies such as tarpaulins, blankets, floor mats, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, dignity and adolescent girls’ kits to help affected families meet their immediate needs for shelter, safe drinking water and basic household essentials. 

Gorkha was also affected by the mega floods in August that killed at least 1,455 people, with 5,285 remaining missing [1]. The floods, which were some of the worst in the country's history, affected 32,000 children, Save the Children said.  

Tara Chettry, Country Director for Save the Children in Nepal, said: 

"Just over a month after one of the worst disasters in Nepal's history, children's lives have been ripped apart in an instant yet again.  

"Children are always among the most vulnerable in the aftermath of disaster. We are yet to see the full scale of the damage, but they may have lost their homes, schools and communities. Many children in Gorkha will still be in shock and distress after the mega floods in August, barely having a chance to get back on their feet. 

"We know that the damage caused by floods to roads, bridges and infrastructure will make it more difficult to reach communities with vital supplies – but our teams are working alongside authorities to do everything we can.  

"Children and families don't just need a one-off aid delivery – they will need sustained support and for that we need flexible funding from donors.  

"Children in Nepal cannot go on like this – being battered by one disaster after another. Extreme weather events like this are exacerbated by rising global temperatures. Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries and needs international support to adapt to these accelerating impacts of climate change. The world needs to act now." 

The humanitarian and child rights organisation is coordinating with national and local authorities to establish the immediate and long-term needs of children and families and is ready to scale up its response. 

Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The organisation runs programmes spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty. 

[1] UNICEF reports of Nepal government figures, 5 October UNICEF Nepal Humanitarian Situation Report No. 6, 5 October 2026 - Nepal | ReliefWeb