One Month After Nepal Floods, Survivors Race to Rebuild Livelihoods

September 24, 2026

One month after devastating floods struck Nepal, survivors face a second crisis as the destruction of farms, food stocks and sources of income threatens to prolong the disaster long after the floodwaters have receded.  

The 26 August floods killed 1,451 people and left 5,745 missing, while destroying homes, farmland, markets and water systems along the Bhote Koshi–Trishuli river corridor. In Nuwakot, families are now confronting the prospect of months without a home or reliable income. 

Prosper Global (formerly Mercy Corps) teams working with local partners in Nuwakot say some families are still searching through the debris of their homes for belongings they can salvage, while others are asking how they will earn an income, return to their farms or rebuild what was destroyed. 

Farmers urgently need cash, seeds, land preparation, training and resources on seasonal farming and tools to replant. Without support in time for the next planting period in November, families risk losing another harvest, increasing debt, and displacement.  
 
Prosper Global calls on governments and donors to support flexible recovery funding now, alongside longer-term investment in locally led early-warning systems, water management and climate-resilient agriculture. The path to renewed prosperity in the region is scaling up what works: a response rooted in re-establishing and reviving the market systems to deliver a sustainable recovery through livelihoods. 

Prosper Global Country Director for Nepal, Suraj Sigdel, said: 

“One month on, families are no longer asking how they will survive today. They are asking: How will I earn an income? How will I rebuild my home? How will I plant again? For families who lost their crops, food stocks, or livelihoods, this disaster could shape their lives for years. The recovery clock is already running. 

"Rebuilding cannot mean restoring the same vulnerabilities that existed before the floods. Recovery must give families a stronger foundation to withstand future shocks, while creating the conditions for people to regain their independence and economic security. Communities know what they need to recover and are already finding ways forward, but they need the resources to turn those solutions into lasting progress. 

Ahead of November’s COP31, governments must put real finance behind their climate commitments: funding locally led solutions that help communities recover today and protect their livelihoods before the next disaster strikes.” 


Prosper Global, formerly Mercy Corps, has worked in Nepal since 2005, responding to earthquakes, floods and landslides while helping communities strengthen disaster preparedness, early-warning systems and climate resilience. Following the August floods, Prosper Global and local partners provided food, hygiene supplies, baby care kits and essential household items to affected families in Nuwakot. 

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