Nepal Flood 2026: Help for Travelers
On August 26, 2026, a flash flood on the Bhote Koshi river struck Rasuwa district north of Kathmandu - the gateway to Langtang, Gosaikunda, and the Rasuwagadhi border crossing. This page collects the official helplines, contacts, and guidance for tourists in Nepal and anyone with a trip planned. Numbers and status change as the response develops; treat official Nepali sources and your embassy as the final word.
Official helplines
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NTB flood assistance (toll-free) | 1234 | Nepal Tourism Board line for tourist information and assistance related to the flood |
| Tourist Police hotline | 1144 | 24/7, English-speaking; based at the Tourist Service Center, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu |
| Tourist Police (mobile, flood response) | +977 9851289445 | Mobile contact circulated by the Nepal Tourism Board for the flood response |
| Police emergency | 100 | Nationwide police emergency line |
| Ambulance | 102 | Nationwide ambulance line |
| National Emergency Operation Centre | 1149 | Government disaster-coordination hotline |
Calling from abroad, prefix Nepal's country code +977 to the short codes only if your carrier requires a full number - otherwise use the mobile contact or your embassy. Verify numbers against the Nepal Tourism Board if in doubt.
Looking for someone in the affected area
Check the official rescued-persons list first
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) publishes the official list of people rescued from the Rasuwa flood, updated as rescue operations proceed (the page is in Nepali: रसुवा बाढीबाट उद्धार गरिएका व्यक्तिहरुको विवरण; browser translation works well on it).
NDRRMA rescued-persons list- Call the NTB line (1234) or Tourist Police (1144) with the traveler's full name, nationality, passport country, itinerary or trekking company, and the time of last contact.
- Contact their embassy in Kathmandu (links below) - embassies maintain and verify lists of their nationals and coordinate directly with rescue authorities.
- Contact the trekking or tour company they booked with - agencies file client manifests with authorities and often have satellite contact with guides.
- Be patient with “out of contact” status - communications and roads in the corridor were cut, and many travelers initially listed as unreachable are located as networks recover. Official confirmation beats social media rumour every time.
Affected vs unaffected areas
Affected - avoid / re-plan
- Rasuwa district: Timure, Syabrubesi, Rasuwagadhi border
- Langtang Valley & Gosaikunda access (road and trailheads) - details here
- Kailash Mansarovar overland route via Rasuwagadhi (closed)
- Trishuli corridor: parts of Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha
- Manaslu Circuit Dharapani-Larke section (separate advisory - confirm repairs)
Unaffected - operating normally
- Kathmandu city and the Kathmandu Valley
- Pokhara and the Annapurna region
- The Everest region (Lukla routes unaffected)
- Chitwan, Lumbini, and the Terai circuit
- Mustang, Jomsom, and Muktinath
What to do - and what not to do
Do
- Register with your embassy (most offer online forms)
- Keep your itinerary shared with family and your agency
- Follow instructions from local authorities and your guide
- Re-route Langtang/Gosaikunda plans to unaffected regions
- Check road status before any journey north of Kathmandu
- Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank in transit
- Donate money through established organisations
Don't
- Travel toward Rasuwa or the Trishuli corridor to look - rescue operations need the roads
- Volunteer spontaneously at the disaster site
- Spread unverified casualty or missing-person information
- Trek river corridors during heavy-rain warnings anywhere in Nepal in monsoon season
- Cancel an unaffected-region trip out of general alarm - tourism income funds recovery
- Rely on crowd-sourced map apps for re-routing around damaged trails
Embassies & official travel advisories
- India:Embassy of India, Kathmandu
- United States:U.S. Embassy Nepal - emergency assistance
- United Kingdom:UK government - Nepal travel advice & consular help
- Australia:Australian Embassy Nepal / Smartraveller
- Canada:Government of Canada - Nepal travel advice
- Other nationalities:Find your embassy or consulate in Kathmandu via your foreign ministry website
How to help
Give money, not goods, through organisations already working on the ground - the Nepal Red Cross Society is the standard first choice, alongside established international relief organisations with Nepal operations. And in the months ahead, the most durable help a traveler can offer is to come: trek the regions that are open this autumn, and when the Langtang corridor reopens, be among the first back. The valley rebuilt after 2015; its lodges will need visitors again.
Common questions
Is it safe to travel to Nepal right now?
The flood damage is concentrated in one corridor: the Bhote Koshi/Trishuli river system through Rasuwa district and downstream areas north of Kathmandu. Kathmandu city, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, and the Everest, Annapurna, and Mustang regions are physically unaffected, and travel there continues normally. Trips involving Langtang, Gosaikunda, or the Rasuwagadhi border crossing need re-planning.
Who do I call about a missing person in the flood area?
Start with the official NDRRMA rescued-persons list at ndrrma.gov.np/np/rescue, which the government updates as rescue operations proceed. Then use the official channels: the Nepal Tourism Board toll-free line 1234, the Tourist Police hotline 1144 (or +977 9851289445), and your embassy in Kathmandu, which coordinates lists for its nationals. Provide the traveler’s full name, nationality, itinerary, and last contact. Avoid relying on social media rumour for status information.
Which areas are affected by the 2026 Nepal flood?
The worst-hit areas are Timure and Syabrubesi in Rasuwa district (the Langtang and Gosaikunda gateway and the Rasuwagadhi border point), with downstream damage along the Trishuli through Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha. The Manaslu Circuit’s Dharapani-Larke section carries a separate trail advisory from earlier August flood damage.
Should I cancel my October or November trip to Nepal?
For most itineraries, no. The autumn season in the Everest, Annapurna, Mustang, and city/safari circuits is proceeding normally. If your plan involved Langtang or Gosaikunda, substitute another region rather than cancelling - agencies are actively rebooking groups, and tourism income matters more than ever to Nepal right now.
How can I help flood victims in Nepal?
Donate money rather than goods, through established organisations: the Nepal Red Cross Society and experienced international relief organisations operating in Nepal. Do not travel to the affected area to volunteer spontaneously - untrained arrivals burden rescue logistics. When the region reopens, visiting as a tourist is a genuine form of long-term help.
Official sources to follow
NDRRMA (official rescued-persons list) · Nepal Tourism Board · The Kathmandu Post · TAAN (trail advisories) · your embassy's travel advisory. Our narrative coverage and trip-planning guidance: Rasuwa flood travel update and autumn 2026 trekking updates.