Nepal Flood Disaster Response – Phase Progress Report (5)

1. Overview of This Reporting Period

During this reporting period (17–28 September), the focus of the response gradually shifted from emergency relief distribution to post-disaster recovery planning, while training for church partners and volunteers was carried out concurrently. From 17 to 18 September, the MCDS team completed intensive relief distribution in multiple disaster-affected areas across Nuwakot and Rasuwa. On 21 September, MCDS formally submitted an updated reconstruction plan and budget for the “Rasuwa–Nuwakot Flood and Landslide Emergency Relief Project” (RNFLERP). On 23 September, NBCC and MCDS held a joint meeting to review the outcomes of Phase One and plan for Phase Two.

Following a high-alert heavy rainfall warning issued by the Government of Nepal on 23 September, covering the period from 24 to 27 September, the originally planned return trip to Bidur was temporarily postponed. On 27–28 September, 7979 consultant Brother Eddy Hew instead conducted a two-day disaster relief training programme at the Nepal Baptist Bible College in Kathmandu. The response was very positive, and local church partners even invited him to return in the future to serve for a period of three months.

2. Current Disaster Situation (as of 24 September, based on Government of Nepal data)

According to the latest update from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the floods and landslides have resulted in a cumulative total of 1,451 deaths and 5,745 people missing.

At present, 1,215 affected people are being accommodated in 21 shelters: 788 people in nine centres in Rasuwa District, 306 people in eight centres in Nuwakot District, and 121 people in four centres in Dhading District. These figures do not include affected people staying with relatives, friends, or within local communities.

Search and rescue operations at several hydropower construction sites have been suspended, while search and rescue efforts continue in other potentially affected areas.

The government has also introduced an “Alternative Housing and Livelihood Allowance” for families who do not wish to remain in shelters. Each household of up to four people may receive NPR 15,000 per month. For households with more than four members, an additional NPR 2,000 will be provided for each additional person. The allowance may be provided for a maximum of six months, and implementation has been delegated to local governments.

In addition, Nepal’s meteorological authorities issued a high-alert notice on 23 September, forecasting heavy rainfall across many parts of the country from 24 to 27 September. The rainfall could trigger soil erosion, floods, landslides and mudslides, while snowfall was also possible in mountainous areas. As a result, MCDS’ planned return to Bidur on 24 September was temporarily cancelled.

Note: The data in this section is taken from the official disaster situation briefing submitted by MCDS on 24 September, which cited the Government of Nepal’s NDRRMA update, as well as the government’s high-alert notice issued on 23 September. These figures revise and supplement the earlier, unofficial statistics cited in previous reports.

3. MCDS Response

(1) Updated Post-Disaster Recovery Plan and Budget
On 21 September, MCDS updated the RNFLERP recovery plan and budget. The programme period runs from 28 August to 30 November 2026, covering three months. The areas of service include the districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading.

The programme is expected to benefit 3,538 households, or approximately 15,920 disaster-affected residents, comprising 4,526 men, 4,889 women, 3,026 boys and 3,479 girls.

The plan identifies ten major recovery needs:
– Food packages for 500 households;
– Psychological trauma counselling training for 1,600 participants;
– Tarpaulin / corrugated metal roofing for temporary shelters for 500 households;
– Fibre blankets and bedding for 500 households;
– Hygiene kits for 2,000 people, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and sanitary pads;
– Kitchen sets for 600 households, including gas cylinders and gas stoves;
– Restoration of drinking water pipelines for 100 households;
– Clothing for 1,500 people, including men, women, children, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with disabilities;
– Relief-team equipment such as raincoats and rain boots for 10 personnel; and
– Stationery, school bags, uniforms and shoes for 900 students.

According to the latest budget, the total budget for the recovery plan is US$150,634, allocated as follows:

The funding currently committed or anticipated is as follows:

Note: The project document also contains an earlier version of the funding requirement page, which lists a total requirement of US$100,000 and states that “US$50,000 is still needed.” This page was not updated together with the budget sheet revised on 21 September. This report therefore uses the latest 21 September budget figures as the basis for presenting the full financial scale and funding gap of the recovery plan.

(2) Summary of Phase One Relief Outcomes
As of 24 September, MCDS’ official briefing reported that Phase One relief distribution had been completed across 13 wards in Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Dhading districts, cumulatively serving 1,850 households and 6,942 disaster-affected people.

The following are field records from several key distribution activities conducted between 17 and 18 September:
• Shree Chandra Jyoti Secondary School shelter camp, Ward No. 5, Devighat: Bedding was provided for the 25 tents erected by Frontline Hearts. Drainage tools were also supplied to help improve drainage conditions at the camp. Waterproof outer coverings were added to all tents to improve durability.
• Betrawati: Because of road damage, the team had to take a detour along a high-altitude mountain route of more than 1,500 metres. The road was narrow, muddy, winding and dangerous before the team could reach the affected area. The community was isolated and, due to environmental regulations, was unable to cut timber for firewood. The team distributed 78 gas cylinders, while 95 households received blankets and clothing. MCDS will continue to monitor and assess the community’s follow-up needs.
• Mandredhung–Bidur Ward No. 6: Led by Pastor Hanok, relief supplies were first transported by road. The following day, the team crossed the river by zipline to reach the community and distributed rice to 135 households.
• Bada Choudara Ward No. 5, Bidur: The team learned that 182 families had gradually relocated there from several shelters, most of them originally from Utta Gaya, Rasuwa. Tents had been densely erected without following the Sphere Standards for minimum humanitarian response, while children were playing close to nearby roads, creating significant safety concerns. MCDS immediately distributed 64 gas cylinders, 109 Samaritan’s Purse relief packages and water filters.
• Host families in Ward No. 5, Devighat: Accompanied by local ward officials, the team visited 15 disaster-affected families who were staying in local residents’ homes and were not registered in regular evacuation shelters. Gas cylinders were distributed to these families.

The team returned to Kathmandu on 18 September.

The cumulative distribution results for Phase One are as follows:

Distribution areas included:
• Nuwakot District: Bidur Municipality Ward No. 5 (Devighat), Ward No. 6 (Mandredhunga), Ward No. 10 (Gorkhutar and Betrawati); Belkotgadhi Municipality Ward No. 8 (Kushitar)
• Rasuwa District: Uttargaya Rural Municipality Ward No. 1 (Khalte); Amachhodingmo Rural Municipality Ward No. 4 (Goljungbesi); Gosaikunda Rural Municipality Ward No. 1 (Thuman)
• Dhading District: Galchhi Rural Municipality Ward No. 4 (Belkhu), Ward No. 6 (Maheswar); Gajuri Rural Municipality Wards No. 1, 5 and 6 (Galauti, Pokhara Khola and Jaharkhet)

NBCC and MCDS have indicated that, subject to conditions, they intend to explore a post-disaster recovery and community development programme lasting up to five years. The programme would subsequently be supervised and approved by Nepal’s Social Welfare Council.

(3) Moving into Phase Two: Relief Supplies Planning and Psychosocial Care

During the meeting, it was confirmed that the next phase of relief supplies would focus on the following three categories, targeting newly included disaster-affected areas:
• Back to School Kits
• Winter Kits
• Women’s Dignity Kits

For the Women’s Dignity Kits, Eddy has obtained the standard contents list and costing provided by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Each kit costs approximately NPR 3,698 and includes daily necessities such as sari/dhoti clothing, undergarments, sanitary products, personal hygiene items and a flashlight. If formally commissioned by UNFPA, MCDS may assist in carrying out the distribution.

Note: This list reflects UNFPA’s own standard kit contents and costing, and is provided only for reference regarding a possible future area of collaboration. Formal commissioning has yet to be confirmed, and this is currently not a 7979-funded project covered under this series of reports.

In addition, during the meeting, Eddy introduced MCDS to 7979’s “Rainbow After the Rain” psychosocial care concept, with the hope that psychosocial support services may be incorporated into future post-disaster recovery programmes.

4. Latest 7979 Actions in Nepal

19–22 September
Senior leaders from MCDS and NBCC continued to hold online meetings to discuss the recovery plan. Rev. Devanand Kadariya, General Secretary, took a rigorous approach towards the requirements of the plan, and Eddy noted that they were highly aligned in their overall understanding and approach. Executive Director Rev. Jhaggu Prasad Gahatraj was described as sincere, practical and dependable.

Eddy was also invited to teach a two-day course at Nepal Baptist Bible College on 27–28 September. Participating students would receive two academic credits. During discussions, a proposal was also raised to add one additional credit for students who take part in practical disaster relief volunteer service. Some students who had previously attended Eddy’s training had already participated in field relief distribution work in the Bidur area.

23–24 September
Eddy spent the entire day preparing 12 training presentation decks (PPTs), incorporating topics such as church observation and “Planetary Health” in preparation for the upcoming training.

Later on 23 September, NBCC and MCDS held a joint meeting to review the outcomes of Phase One and plan for Phase Two, as detailed in Section 3.

On 24 September, due to the high-alert heavy rainfall warning described in Section 2, the originally planned return trip to Bidur was postponed. MCDS used the intervening days to procure Back to School Kits, with distribution scheduled to begin the following week once weather conditions improved. Local temperatures had also dropped to approximately 17–18°C.

27 September
Eddy began the first day of a two-day disaster relief training programme at Nepal Baptist Bible College. During a practical “school assessment” exercise, the weather was favourable and the rain happened to stop.

Pastor Hanok invited Eddy to return to Nepal in the future to serve for a period of three months. Eddy indicated that he would further discuss the details with Pastor Hanok and Rev. Jhaggu. On the same day, it was also confirmed that Eddy had received an invitation to conduct training at another Bible college in eastern Nepal.

There was also one unusual “observer” in the classroom that day — a dog sleeping inside the classroom. Eddy jokingly remarked that there were “29 students in the training, not including the dog.”

28 September
The training moved into small-group thematic exercises, during which Pastor Hanok also shared his personal experience. The entire training programme was conducted in English.

That day, Eddy planned to pack family hygiene kits and prepare to travel once again to Bidur the following day.

5. Prayer Items

• Pray for the health, personal safety and protection of all staff members and volunteers who are still working in the disaster-affected areas;
• Pray for the smooth implementation of MCDS’ post-disaster recovery programme, RNFLERP, in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts;
• Pray for the APBF (Asia Pacific Baptist Federation) Roundtable Meeting to be held in Nepal on 13–14 October, where partner organisations and representatives from MCDS/NBCC will meet for discussions;
• Pray for the safety of disaster-affected areas and transportation routes during the heavy rainfall alert period from 24 to 27 September.

6. Accountability Information

• Locations: A total of 13 wards across Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Dhading districts, including key distribution sites such as Devighat Ward No. 5, Betrawati, Mandredhung and Bada Choudara
• Beneficiaries: A cumulative total of 1,850 households and 6,942 disaster-affected people served during Phase One, including 182 newly relocated families and 15 affected families staying within local communities who were not registered at regular shelters
• Relief Supplies: Gas cylinders, gas stove sets, food packages, clothing, waterproof tarpaulins and hygiene kits, temporary tent shelters, Samaritan’s Purse relief packages and water filters (see the table and field records above for details)

Note: This reporting period was compiled from WhatsApp communication records between Eddy Hew and MCDS from 17 to 28 September, together with the formally submitted MCDS RNFLERP recovery plan, the updated budget dated 21 September, the “MCDS Disaster Situation Briefing” dated 24 September, the “Summary of Relief Supplies Distribution in Rasuwa and Nuwakot” briefing document, and the high-alert notice issued by the Government of Nepal’s NDRRMA on 23 September. All of these are official documents.