LocationsNepal's recovery will require solidarity, partnership and long-term commitment
"What happens in the mountains does not stay in the mountains."
September 17, 2026
The immediate emergency in Nepal may be easing in some areas, but for many families the crisis is far from over.
Photo: UNDP Nepal
The catastrophe that unfolded in Nepal's mountains has left a trail of destruction. More than 1,300 people have died, with more than 5,000 still unaccounted for, and vast areas face a long road to recovery. Initial estimates suggest that around 20,000 homes must be rebuilt and reconstruction and rehabilitation cost could reach US$4-5 billion. Yet the flood's impact extends far beyond the immediate damage. UNDP's assessment shows that three quarters of those affected were already living in vulnerable conditions, revealing how climate shocks can deepen existing poverty and inequality. We spoke with Kyoko Yokosuka, UNDP Resident Representative in Nepal, about the challenges ahead, what it will take to build back safer and stronger and why investing in the resilience of the Himalayas matters far beyond Nepal's borders.
What are we seeing in Nepal today, weeks after the floods?
The immediate emergency may be easing in some areas, but for many families the crisis is far from over.
Communities have lost loved ones, homes, crops, livestock and small businesses. Roads, bridges, buildings and homes have been swept away. Local trade hubs such as Timure and Syafrubesi, and historic towns like Trisuli and Betrawati have been buried under sediment. Many people have also lost important documents, including identity cards, passports, land deeds and other records they will need as they rebuild their lives.
The floods struck at a particularly difficult time. For many rural households, this is an important season for livelihoods and income, and it also coincided with a critical planting period for farmers. Losing land, crops and livestock, while also being cut off from markets, can push already vulnerable families into debt and poverty.
What we are hearing from communities is that they want to get back on their feet, rebuild their homes, restart small businesses and regain essential services. One of the clearest lessons from disasters around the world is that recovery cannot wait. It should reach affected families quickly, fairly and transparently, with special attention to the most vulnerable to better their chances of recovering and avoiding long-term trap of reliance on humanitarian assistance. That is why humanitarian and recovery efforts must move forward together.
What does recovery mean in practice?
Recovery is about much more than rebuilding damaged infrastructure.
It is about helping people restore their livelihoods, reopening local economies, restoring essential services and ensuring communities can move forward with dignity and hope.
It will mean clearing at least 2.2 millions of tonnes of debris and sediment, repairing roads and bridges, restoring markets and services, supporting farmers and small businesses and strengthening the capacity of local governments that are leading response efforts. We also have to ensure women and girls take an active part and that recovery works with them and for them.
Recovery also offers an opportunity. We should not aim simply to rebuild what existed before. We should aim to reduce future risks and create stronger, safer and more resilient communities. Every bridge rebuilt, every road repaired and every investment made should help communities withstand future shocks.
Recovery is about helping people restore their livelihoods, reopening local economies and restoring essential services.
Photo: UNDP Nepal
What does this disaster tell us about climate risks facing Nepal?
It reminds us that Nepal is on the frontline of climate change, but it also shows the complexity of the risks facing mountain countries.
The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is warming faster than the global average. Rising temperatures are accelerating glacier retreat and changing weather patterns. But climate change is only one part of the story. Nepal's steep terrain, fragile geology, and highly dynamic mountain ecosystems mean that even small changes can have significant consequences.
What we are seeing is the interaction of multiple risks. More intense rainfall, changing environmental conditions, unstable slopes and geological factors can combine in ways that increase the likelihood and impact of disasters.
Scientists and communities across the region have been warning about these trends for years. This disaster is a reminder that climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction cannot be treated as future challenges. They are urgent priorities today.
Supporting Nepal's recovery is an investment in a country that has repeatedly shown its ability to adapt, innovate and build resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Photo: UNDP Nepal
Why should people outside Nepal care about what is happening in the Himalayas?
Because what is happening in the Himalayas is, first and foremost, about people.
Across Nepal, communities are living with the growing impacts of climate change despite contributing very little to it. Yet what I see every day is not only vulnerability, but resilience, innovation and determination. Nepal has a young population, deep local knowledge and a strong commitment to finding solutions.
Supporting Nepal's recovery is therefore not simply an act of solidarity. It is an investment in a country that has repeatedly shown its ability to adapt, innovate and build resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Of course, the stakes extend far beyond Nepal. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is often called the world's "Third Pole" because it contains the largest concentration of ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic. Its rivers provide water, food, energy and livelihoods for nearly two billion people across Asia. These mountains are also part of the planet's natural cooling system, helping regulate climate patterns far beyond the region
What happens in Nepal's mountains does not stay in Nepal's mountains. It affects communities, economies and ecosystems across the region.
Recovery will mean clearing at least 2.2 millions of tonnes of debris and sediment, repairing roads and bridges, restoring markets and services and supporting farmers and small businesses.
Photo: UNDP Nepal
What more needs to be done to reduce future risks?
We know that prevention and preparedness save lives.
This means investing in stronger early warning systems, climate information services, resilient infrastructure, risk-informed planning and better monitoring of mountain environments. It also means supporting local communities, who are always the first responders when disaster strikes.
We should continue to Build Back Safer, applying lessons from this disaster so that reconstruction and future development reduce, rather than create, disaster risks.
Nepal has already demonstrated that targeted investments can make a difference. Efforts to reduce glacial lake risks, strengthen community preparedness and expand early warning have helped protect lives and livelihoods. But the scale of the challenge means these efforts must now be accelerated and expanded.
Regional cooperation is also essential. Risks in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region do not stop at national borders. Countries need to share scientific data, monitoring information, and lessons learned to better understand emerging risks and strengthen early warning systems.
Protecting this fragile mountain ecosystem will require stronger research, cooperation, investment and timely action. The costs of inaction will ultimately be far greater than the costs of prevention.
What does UNDP's support look like as communities begin to recover?
Our focus is helping communities move from relief to recovery.
That starts with understanding the full scale of the damage and supporting government-led recovery planning. We also want to help local governments restore services and facilities.
For many families, recovery means getting back to work as quickly as possible. That is why we are looking at initiatives such as debris removal programmes that can help restore access while creating income opportunities for people who have lost livelihoods.
At the same time, recovery must be forward-looking. As riverbanks, roads and other infrastructure are repaired, we want to ensure communities can rebuild in ways that are safer and more resilient to future floods and landslides. Recovery is not only about restoring what was lost. It is about helping communities emerge stronger and better prepared for the risks ahead.
Protecting Nepal's fragile mountain ecosystem will require stronger research, cooperation, investment and timely action.
Photo: UNDP Nepal
What message would you like the international community to hear?
Nepal's recovery will require solidarity, partnership and long-term commitment.
The world often focuses on the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Yet the real challenge begins when the cameras leave and communities face the long process of rebuilding. Nepal needs humanitarian assistance today, but it will also need sustained investment in recovery, resilience and climate adaptation.
At the same time, this disaster sends a broader message. Nepal has long advocated for greater international attention to the unique challenges facing mountainous countries and the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. This tragedy underscores the urgency of that agenda. What happens in the mountains does not stay in the mountains. Changes in glaciers, water systems, and fragile mountain ecosystems can have far-reaching consequences for millions of people downstream and across borders.
Addressing these risks will require more than disaster response. It will require greater investment in research, monitoring, and practical risk reduction solutions, as well as stronger regional and international cooperation to share data, knowledge and expertise.
Recovery must therefore go beyond rebuilding infrastructure. It must help communities prepare for a future where climate-related risks are becoming more frequent and severe. This disaster should not be viewed as an isolated event. It is a warning about the growing pressures facing mountain regions around the world, and a call for timely action before the costs, both human and economic, become even greater.
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