Catastrophic Nepal floods leave communities and animals at risk

Reaching affected communities remains a major challenge. Roads and bridges have been swept away, while muddy floodwaters carrying debris and potentially hazardous materials are creating dangerous conditions for rescue. Aerial assessments are underway as authorities and responders work to understand the extent of the destruction.

IFAW will remain in close contact with Sneha's Care and other local teams as the situation develops and is preparing for the possibility that additional support may be needed.

The emergency comes as IFAW and partners have been working to strengthen disaster resilience for animals in Nepal.

Following an IFAW risk assessment and mapping project completed in 2025, we began a Nepal resilience project focused on building local capacity among animal protection organisations and government authorities. In July 2026, IFAW brought invited organisations and authorities together for a webinar focused on strengthening disaster resilience for animals in Nepal.

Those relationships and preparedness efforts are now helping inform the response. IFAW is supporting remote assessments through established contacts in affected areas, while our team in China is gathering information from local and regional sources and contacts to help build a clearer cross-border picture of the disaster and emerging animal needs.

IFAW has also notified its global network of animal disaster responders so additional expertise can be mobilised as needed.