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The government has estimated that Nepal will need Rs 723.31 billion to rebuild and recover from the devastating flood that struck the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Bhadra 10.

According to the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) prepared by a joint technical team involving the National Planning Commission and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the infrastructure sector alone will require Rs 473.57 billion for recovery and reconstruction.

That amount accounts for around 75 percent of the total estimated reconstruction requirement, underscoring the scale of damage inflicted on the country’s roads, bridges, hydropower and other critical infrastructure.

The energy sector has emerged as the single largest component of the reconstruction burden. The disaster affected 13 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 759 MW and five solar power plants with a combined capacity of 24 MW.

The government estimates that restoring the energy and power grid systems alone will require Rs 390.62 billion.

The floods also caused extensive damage to the country’s transport network. Around 69 kilometers of roads were damaged, while 33 motorable bridges were washed away and another four sustained partial damage. Of the 64 suspension bridges located in the affected areas, 53 were damaged.

The overall cost of restoring transport infrastructure in the affected areas has been estimated at Rs 73.34 billion, according to the RDNA report.

The disaster also inflicted significant damage on private housing and public facilities across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. A total of 7,570 private houses were damaged across the five districts.

Nuwakot’s Bidur Municipality recorded the highest concentration of household damage, with 3,026 houses affected.

In addition, the floods damaged 48 public buildings, 18 schools, seven health institutions and 30 cultural heritage sites. The government estimates that Rs 103.55 billion will be required to restore these facilities and related social infrastructure.

The productive sector - including trade, businesses, banking and agriculture - has also suffered substantial losses. The government estimates that Rs 50.77 billion will be required for its recovery.

The disaster affected 1,806 hectares of agricultural crops, 17 bank branches and around 4,800 business establishments, highlighting the wider economic consequences beyond physical infrastructure.

The government has also estimated that Rs 94.75 billion will be required for disaster risk reduction and river management, while another Rs 515.4 million has been projected for the management of mud, sediment and debris generated by the floods.

The RDNA report has recommended a two-phase approach to reconstruction.

For immediate relief and short-term reconstruction during the next six months, the government estimates a requirement of Rs 8.74 billion. Long-term reconstruction and recovery is projected to require a substantially larger Rs 714.58 billion.

The assessment highlights that Nepal’s post-flood challenge extends far beyond emergency relief, with the reconstruction of energy systems, roads, bridges, homes and economic infrastructure likely to place a significant financial burden on the government and its development partners.

The figures, released as part of the government’s post-disaster assessment, are expected to provide the basis for mobilizing domestic resources and international assistance for recovery and resilient reconstruction.