September 17, 2026
Maharajan, Keshav Lall
Vice President, Association of Regional Agricultural and Forestry Economics, Japan

In previous reports, I discussed the large-scale landslide disasters that occurred in Nepal and China, explaining that multiple natural phenomena happened at the same time, and due to the location near the border, its complex geographical and geological conditions, historical background, diplomatic, modern trade and commercial factors, religious and cultural aspects, tourism, and infrastructure development, the damage was extremely severe. The reports focused on the victims (dead, injured, and missing) and the current situation at that time. This time, I will write about the rescue of disaster victims, life-saving, evacuations, distribution of relief supplies, and living conditions.
It became known that a massive ice and bed-reockslide and cascading flood, also called the "Himalayan Tsunami," had caused enormous damage. Within the government, a disaster response headquarter was set up, with minister-level officials taking the charge, and rescue and relief operations were launched by the team of military, armed police, and police. In the affected areas, roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure were completely destroyed, so rescue and relief operations were mainly conducted by helicopters. At that time, all available helicopters, including those for Himalayan sightseeing and those used by companies for mountaineer rescues, were mobilized under the orders of the military and government. The Trisuli garrison was used as a base for the rescue and relief activities, delivering supplies to areas that were damaged and cut off, and transporting elderly people, people with disabilities, patients, pregnant women, women, and children to hospitals and evacuation centers, locally called holding centers.

It’s unclear why the Nepalese government decided not to accept emergency relief teams from abroad, and this decision was criticized both domestically and internationally as childish, but I think there might be the following reasons. First, Nepal has transitioned from a kingdom to a democratic country and then to a federal republic, and politicians have been proclaiming for about 30 years "government of the people, by the people, for the people," yet the majority of citizens’ lives haven’t improved at all. To survive, many go abroad as migrant workers, often taking the most dangerous, dirty, and difficult jobs, working day and night, sending whatever savings they can back home to support their families, and somehow managing to get by meeting the ends. These remittances are the country’s main source of foreign currency, making up about 30% of the gross national product, but for the citizens' daily lives, it doesn’t mean anything. The Generation Z citizens couldn’t accept this situation, understanding that the cause was corrupt politicians, government officials, and some merchants exploiting the system (an understanding shared by many ordinary people as well). They demanded clean politics and better service delivery by the government and officials to the people, and movements started. The current government, which came out of that momentum, probably wanted to act quickly in rescue and relief operations and show results fast. Since the initial rescue and relief went surprisingly smoothly, the government gained confidence and, even before fully grasping the scale of the disaster, seems to have made the decision in the heat of the moment thinking, "We can do it, we will do it." You could call this a case of youthful impulsiveness. However, due to the difficulties in rescue and relief caused by the immense scale of the damage, they ended up accepting foreign aid three days later. People have raised their voices saying that many lives could have been saved in those three days.

On the other hand, like Japan, Nepal experiences frequent natural disasters such as heavy rain, floods, landslides, and avalanches every year. Each time, aid and donations come from both domestic and international sources, but aid activities often have gaps, and the necessary support doesn’t always reach where it’s needed. It’s a difficult issue, but unifying the channels for aid is still a challenge. On top of that, there are constant reports of corruption in aid activities as well. As mentioned above, the current "Gen Z government" might have thought of this too and wanted to demonstrate that they could handle what they were capable of by themselves without relying on foreign aid, and show that "if we try, we can do it."

The government has been calling on various business leaders and individuals in the country to donate, and unprecedented amounts of relief funds and supplies are being collected. Even though it has been two weeks since the disaster, Prime Minister Shah said on social media that “with both domestic and international aid and support, we can provide sufficient assistance to the victims.” As a national leader, he faces a lot of criticism, but this prime minister always uses social media to communicate with the people. Based on the understanding of mutual aid, the best approach is to gather relief funds and supplies within the country, and for the funds, materials, and technology that are insufficient or can’t be covered domestically, quickly accept help from abroad to minimize damage, including saving lives. This is what's expected from a country's leader and government. By the way, as of today, domestic donations from corporate groups and individuals, led by the financial and manufacturing sectors, have reached about 5 billion Nepalese rupees—a figure said to be unprecedented. In addition, many relief supplies have also been collected.

Now, it’s natural to wonder how the lives of residents in the disaster-hit areas are faring. There was a difference between the villages in the Bhote Koshi River basin, which became cut off, and those in the Trishuli River basin, which were still accessible by land despite being affected. The latter area is more open, with many residents and regions not affected, so there were many people who could participate in volunteer activities, and access from outside areas like Kathmandu remained uninterrupted. Rescue and relief operations were easy and started quickly. Electricity was restored early as well. The army, armed police, and police focused on saving lives, but the government, political parties, nonprofit organizations, and local residents quickly started collecting and distributing relief supplies and setting up and managing shelters. In cities like Kathmandu, fundraising and collection of donated supplies started the very next day. In my own area, donations were collected mainly headed by city council members, ward chairmen, and other volunteers. Four days after the disaster, in Trishuli town, the warehouse set up to collect relief supplies was overflowing with food, leaving no space. It was said that there was a shortage of clothes, bedding, hygiene goods, and medicine. Two days later, thanks to efforts from hospitals and pharmacies, general medicine and hygiene supplies were gathered, and at the shelters, young volunteer doctors also came to provide general check-ups and counseling. Many used clothes were collected, and the evacuees picked and received clothing according to their preferences. Victims interviewed by the media said there were no issues with food, and that, since it was a disaster, all they could do was endure life in the shelters, viewing it positively. Sometimes, there were people who would make requests, wishing for improvements in toilets, drinking water, and cooking gas. In a way, I felt relieved by that reporting. Unlike in Japan, the shelters were simple tents where people slept together on the floor, cooking was done on simple stoves or gas burners, and meals were the Nepalese version of a set meal—dal-bhat-tarkari-achaar (lentil soup, rice, vegetable side dishes, pickles)—which people would eat together with friends. The communal toilets were simple, and for urination, men could even go outside. If you had nothing to do all day, headaches or stomachaches could occur, so there were medications and counseling available. The locals, being simple and straightforward, didn’t complain during such disasters. Even while suffering damage and in some cases having lost family members, they were able to respond to the media with such bright and contented expressions (even if the reporters selected those who could respond this way), and I want to show my respect to them. If evacuation life continues for a long time, fatigue will accumulate, and new issues may arise, so such care will be needed hereafter.

On the other hand, the situation in towns and villages along the Bhotekoshi River affected by flooding was different. Even within the same Betrawati area, bridges had been washed away, and in the areas across the river, relief supplies didn’t reach them at first. Residents there seemed to feel that the news reports about rescue and aid had nothing to do with themselves, and at times they were frustrated. A single helicopter could carry only a few hundred kilograms of supplies, and only a few people could be transported to shelters or hospitals, so it’s easy to understand how the people waiting there must have felt. All the more so for victims in areas where helicopters couldn’t fly due to weather or terrain. In this region, the power and communication networks were completely destroyed, and for several days, people apparently spent their nights in total darkness. It’s ironic that in a place with many power plants, electricity couldn’t be used. One local ward chairman carried solar panels around villages so residents could charge their mobile phones. During disasters, securing communication lines is crucial in Japan as well, and I want to pay respect to this ward chairman’s volunteer efforts.
By the way, eight days after the disaster, the collection and distribution points for relief supplies in places like Dhunche where helicopters could land relatively easily were already overflowing with food. Because the damage in this watershed area was not fully understood yet, it’s hard to say for sure whether relief and support supplies had reached everyone, but I imagine that in areas with a lot of nature, people accustomed to their traditional way of life probably weren’t starving. After that, even in such areas, drones arranged by China started delivering up to 60 kilograms of supplies at a time. Also, a Bailey bridge was quickly built by the military over the Betrawati River, making it possible to transport supplies by land to the opposite shore as well. The local residents were satisfied with and praised the military’s response. In this watershed, places like Rasuwagadi, Timure, and Shabrubesi saw almost everything—houses, government offices, hotels, commercial facilities, and power plants—washed away, so there may not have been a need to send much relief supplies. The low population density is also could be a factor. In any case, although relief and support activities lagged a bit behind the Trishuli River basin, it can be said that everything is proceeding smoothly here as well.
Now, how has this major disaster affected life for people in the capital, Kathmandu? As mentioned, relief supplies were not lacking in the disaster areas. Most of those supplies were sourced from cities like Kathmandu. Even so, as you can see, there’s no shortage of everyday goods in urban areas, including the Kathmandu Valley, so people’s daily lives are not particularly disrupted. However, due to the massive flooding of the Trishuli River, a massive landslide occurred at a place called Krishna Bheer on the road connecting Kathmandu to India via Chitwan, and Birganj, washing away parts of the road and causing blockages. This area experiences small to large landslides every rainy season, and machinery is stationed nearby to reopen the roads, ensuring that supplies from India aren’t obstructed. But this time, cooking propane gas in the Kathmandu Valley ran short, causing a commotion. At many stores, long lines formed for gas. For those who couldn’t wait in line, coupons were distributed for 5–7 days later. This directly affected daily life for city residents and also impacted the operation of restaurants and eateries.

However, when global fuel issues arose due to conflicts in the Middle East—involving the US, Iran, Israel, and others—they distributed gas using small cylinders and adjusted it through a kind of 'allocation,' so shortages did not occur. Furthermore, since the Krishna Bheer road was not accessible, instead of using tank trucks to transport gas via detour mountain roads, cylinders were replaced in southern towns, divided into smaller portions, and transported by minitrucks. Nevertheless, gas shortages in Kathmandu became an issue, and the minister in charge, who reacted sensitively, clashed with the gas vendors and was forced to resign. The minister, who left the press conference in tears, said she could not get cooperation from the gas vendors. The vendors representatives immediately protested the allegation. The question remains as to why it was not possible to adjust this time which was possible during global fuel shortages. Perhaps the lack of political experience among Gen Z government ministers is also a factor. Therefore, this time, a public sentiment has arisen that gas supply could be interrupted at any time due to a disaster, and incidents like the toilet paper scandal during the oil shock in Japan could have occurred. And the prices of food and other daily necessities coming from the south have gradually risen to the point where they are even discussed in the National parliament. By the way, I walked past the gas station today, and the long line was gone.
In terms of daily life, in Kathmandu, each household generally has supplies of daily necessities such as fuel and food for a week to a month. According to government and business insiders, the market, including stores, wholesalers, and warehouses, has enough goods to meet about three months' demand, so there is no shortage of supplies, and citizens are encouraged to stay calm. The government has also stated that it will impose severe penalties on business entities who manipulate price hikes. The market is also monitored using police and other means.

On the other hand, items imported from China through the Rasuwagadhi customs include fruits like apples and foodstuffs like garlic, and other daily necessities, clothing, shoes, and accessories. According to an acquaintance who runs a transporting company, there are about 200 containers used for trade and transportation there, and about 40% were washed away in the recent flood, while 20% are stuck near the Chinese border. The remaining 20% were redirected toward the Mustang Customs office; Korola. So, it seems that only about 20% of the containers are actually usable. Another acquaintance who is an importer said that many of the items they imported were swept away, causing significant damage. It's quite expected that during the nationwide great festival a month later—Dashain—there will be a shortage of Chinese products and prices will go up. This is pretty painful for low-income people. The Nepali saying 'Dashain is a dasha (big Dashain festival is bad luck)' comes to mind.