Post-Disaster Sanitation Kits for Flood-affected Communities

On 26 August, a devastating flash flood struck Rasuwa and communities downstream along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli corridor, destroying homes, roads, and bridges across seven districts. HAPSA was quick to respond.

The HAPSA volunteers hand out sanitation kits to people in areas affected by the flood

Preparing for what comes next

We know from experience that displaced families lose access to safe drinking water, working latrines, and basic sanitation. These are the post-disaster conditions in which diarrheal disease spreads. It is the most common illness after a flood and appears within days. Untreated, it can cause fatal dehydration, with children under five being the most vulnerable. When families shelter in close proximity and draw from the same contaminated source, one household’s illness becomes an outbreak. A health system already responding to trauma, injury, and displacement cannot absorb a second emergency. Preventing that outbreak is the purpose of our response.

Our Response

HAPSA's team is already mobilizing a targeted post-flood public health response, working with local distribution partners to reach affected communities. We are assembling the first deployment of post-disaster sanitation kits for families whose homes along the river were destroyed. We will keep assembling and delivering kits as funding allows, while the full scale of need continues to emerge.

The kits include water treatment, hand soap, and rehydration salts. These are the best-evidenced interventions for reducing the risk of illness. We have experience distributing similar post-disaster kits after COVID-19, the 2021 Melamchi floods, and the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake. People look to us in times of crisis because our team is Nepali-led and from the communities we serve.