UNICEF Reports Over 32,000 Children Impacted by Severe Floods in Nepal

GENEVA — More than 32,000 children in Nepal have been affected by catastrophic flooding triggered by a glacial collapse in late August, according to a briefing delivered by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder at the Palais des Nations on October 9.

The disaster, which began when glacial ice and rock collapsed into a Himalayan river, has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 84 children, while 5,285 people remain missing. The agency warned that the death toll is expected to rise as search and recovery efforts continue six weeks after the event.

According to UNICEF, the flooding severely disrupted critical infrastructure across the affected regions, damaging or destroying 23 schools, seven health facilities, and 64 water systems. The agency highlighted that children face compounded risks following such disasters, including long-term emotional distress, interrupted education, and increased vulnerability to child marriage.

The agency noted that the Himalayas are warming at approximately twice the global average rate, leading to shrinking glaciers, thawing permafrost, and increased flood risks. Although Nepal contributes only about 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, its population faces severe downstream impacts from regional climate changes, which affect the broader Hindu Kush Himalaya region that supports roughly two billion people.

In response to the crisis, UNICEF and its partners, alongside local authorities and communities, have provided emergency relief. Interventions so far include vaccinating over 68,000 people against cholera, restoring water access for 27,000 individuals, reuniting 51 children with their families, and distributing humanitarian cash assistance and winterization supplies such as blankets and warm clothing.

UNICEF called on parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to deliver accessible, grant-based climate loss and damage finance to support vulnerable communities and safeguard children's rights against recurring environmental hazards.

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