Around 600 Students Missing Contact After Bhote Koshi Floods as Schools in Five Local Levels Remain Closed

KATHMANDU, September 4, 2026: Around 600 students in Rasuwa and Nuwakot are estimated to be out of contact following the devastating Bhote Koshi floods, while schools in five local levels have remained closed for nine days.

Education officials say the figures are still being verified, as some students and parents have been located while others remain unaccounted for. Authorities are collecting student lists from individual schools to establish the actual number.

According to district education officials, around 280 students in Rasuwa and 300–350 in Nuwakot are estimated to be out of contact.

22 Teachers and School Staff Also Out of Contact

The floods have also affected teachers and school employees.

Education Development and Coordination Units in the two districts report that 22 teachers and school staff are currently out of contact.

The breakdown includes:

• Rasuwa: 16 teachers and school staff

• Nuwakot: 6 teachers and school staff

• Some teachers and students have reportedly been found, but authorities have not yet confirmed the complete number.

Officials say some families were also affected by the floods, making it difficult for schools to establish the whereabouts of their students.

Vidur Reports Hundreds of Students Out of Contact

The situation is particularly serious in Vidur Municipality of Nuwakot.

According to the municipality's education section, around 250 students are estimated to be out of contact within Vidur alone.

School officials say the situation is complicated because some parents have been located without their children, while in other cases students have been found but their parents remain unaccounted for.

Some Schools Completely Destroyed

The floods have also caused major damage to school infrastructure.

According to education authorities, 22 schools across three districts have been damaged or affected, with several suffering complete destruction.

In Rasuwa, four schools in Gosainkunda and Uttargaya have reportedly been completely destroyed.

The affected schools include:

• Three community schools

• One private school

• School buildings and surrounding areas have been severely damaged, with some locations reportedly turned into riverbeds.

Uttargaya School Has More Than 200 Students Out of Contact

At Nilkantha Secondary School in Uttargaya Rural Municipality-5, around 200 students and four teachers have been reported out of contact.

The school had 496 students enrolled.

The school's principal said students were in different locations when the flood struck. Some were on their way to school, some were waiting for school buses, and others were at home.

Students who had already reached the school were moved to safer higher ground.

The school building itself remains standing, but many students and some teachers cannot yet be reached.

Schools Closed Across Five Local Levels

Schools in five local levels have remained closed since the disaster.

The affected areas include:

• Gosaikunda Rural Municipality

• Uttargaya Rural Municipality

• Kalika Rural Municipality

• Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality

• Vidur Municipality

Schools in Naukunda Rural Municipality in Rasuwa are operating, with 29 community schools continuing classes.

In some areas, school buildings and students were not directly affected, but classes have remained suspended because parents are missing or communities are still dealing with the consequences of the disaster.

In Aamachhodingmo alone, 58 parents have reportedly been out of contact following the floods.

Schools Need More Than Repairs

Education officials say reopening schools will require more than repairing damaged buildings.

With many children having lost family members, homes or contact with parents, authorities say psychosocial support and counseling will also be necessary before normal classes can resume.

Officials are collecting details of children who have lost contact with their parents and assessing the wider impact on schools and communities.

Government Sends Damage Assessment Teams

The Ministry of Education has deployed assessment teams to Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading to evaluate the damage caused by the floods.

The teams include technical personnel and are expected to submit their assessment within seven days.

Based on the findings, the ministry plans to develop a strategy for:

• Repairing or rebuilding damaged schools

• Restoring educational activities

• Supporting affected students

• Providing psychosocial counseling

• Addressing the needs of children separated from their families

Education Disrupted as Search Continues

The full impact of the floods on students and schools is still being assessed.

For many affected communities, however, returning children to classrooms will depend not only on restoring school buildings but also on locating missing students and family members and ensuring that children have the support they need after the disaster.