Country: Nepal Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Flood is one of the most severe hazards in Nepal in terms of physical and socioeconomic losses. Major perennial rivers such as Koshi, Karnali, and Narayani often cause flooding across multiple districts of the Southern Terai, while rivers originating in the Mahabharat range, including West Rapti and Babai, frequently generate flash floods that disproportionately impact low-lying floodplains. The Terai’s vulnerable topography and dependence on agriculture further exacerbate flood impacts. Historically, floods have caused significant devastation. In 2017, prolonged rainfall from 11–14 August affected 31 districts, impacting an estimated 450, 000 people and resulting in 43 deaths. According to the Government of Nepal’s National Planning Commission Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) 2017, 41, 626 houses were destroyed and 150, 510 damaged, over 126, 000 hectares of paddy were lost, and livestock—including 812, 000 poultry and 9, 400 cattle—suffered severe losses. Major flood disasters in 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2017 repeatedly affected Bardiya, Kailali, and Banke districts, causing widespread infrastructure damage, including roads, bridges, culverts, local markets, and residential areas. Flooding has also occurred outside the monsoon season, such as the October 2022 Babai flood affecting Bardiya district. Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) household surveys conducted in 2021–2022 show that along the Babai River, 25, 247 families live in Barbardiya, Thakurbaba, Madhuwan, and Gulariya municipalities, while 21, 032 families reside along the West Rapti River in Rapti Sonari, Duduwa, and Narainapur municipalities. Flooding in these districts has intensified between 2023 and 2025. In Banke district, particularly Rapti Sonari, Duduwa, and Narainapur, approximately 4, 500–5, 000 households were affected in 2023, rising to approx. 7, 500 households in 2024, with nearly 1, 500 displaced, and remaining high at 6, 000 households in 2025. Impacts included repeated paddy crop losses, damage to irrigation systems and roads, and riverbank erosion. In Bardiya district, including Rajapur, Geruwa, Barbardiya, Thakurbaba, and Gulariya municipalities, approx. 7, 000 households were affected in 2023, rising sharply to around 13, 000 households in 2024—including approximately 3, 000 displaced households—and 11, 000 households affected in 2025. Damage encompassed inundation, extensive crop losses, livestock mortality, and infrastructure damage, alongside urban flooding in low-lying areas. These trends highlight the increasing severity and frequency of flood impacts in the West Rapti and Babai basins, underlining the continued support of anticipatory action, early warning systems, and community resilience measures.
Nepal, Western Terai | Flood – Simplified Early Action Protocol Operations Update (sEAP No: sEAP2026NP03) – July 2026
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