Please refer to the attached file.
Project HOPE’s Emergency Response Team is in Nepal, mobilizing a response to devastating landslides and flash floods caused by a massive glacier avalanche.
Situational Context
On the morning of August 26, 2026, a glacier avalanche near the border between Nepal and China sent tons of rock, mud, and ice into nearby rivers. This disaster triggered massive floods, powerful landslides, and registered a force equal to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As a result, entire villages have been wiped out and there have been significant impacts to critical infrastructure, including major roads, bridges, and electricity systems.
Initial reports put the death toll over 360, with figures expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. At least 1,400 people are reported missing, including tourists from as many as 27 different countries, including the United States. Many visitors in the affected area were there for the Nepali festival of Janai Purnima on Friday or on pilgrimage to Tibet’s Mount Kailash, a sacred site for Hindus.
Conditions remain dangerous in Nepal, with weather forecasts predicting three days of heavy rain and this disaster making the ongoing monsoon season even more of a threat to affected communities. Additionally, yesterday’s landslides formed a new lake, which now poses a significant risk as new bodies of water are at an increased risk of further landslides, mudslides, and flash floods.