Kathmandu 10 Action Points: HKH countries chart a path to better preparedness after catastrophic Rasuwa-Gyirong flood 

Kathmandu, 25 September 2026 — Governments, scientists and development partners from across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) have outlined 10 priority actions to strengthen disaster preparedness, early warning systems, emergency response and recovery following the catastrophic Rasuwa-Gyirong flood.

The recommendations, known as the Kathmandu 10 Action Points, emerged from a regional workshop convened by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), and the Embassy of Switzerland in Kathmandu from 15 to 17 September. They come as the region continues to grapple with one of the deadliest mountain disasters in its recent history. According to figures presented by Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Shisir Khanal, at the United Nations General Assembly, more than 1,400 people lost their lives, and approximately 6,000 remain unaccounted for. Around 10% of those unaccounted for are nationals of 38 countries. Nepal has suffered economic losses exceeding USD 5 billion, equivalent to nearly 15% of its gross domestic product.

“We have had a number of wake-up calls, with the region seeing back-to-back mega-hazards. What is evident is that this is now a slap in the face and time is running out,” said Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD. “A strengthened regional mechanism to help reduce future risks requires collaboration across countries, disciplines and institutions.”

The Kathmandu 10 Action Points call for stronger regional cooperation, enhanced monitoring of high-risk mountain areas, faster information sharing, improved early warning systems, and more coordinated recovery planning to address growing risks posed by cascading mountain hazards.

Kathmandu 10 Action Points 

1. Redesign early warning triggers to account for sudden-onset hazards and improve lead times for communities. Explore the concept of sacrificial infrastructure designed to absorb the impacts of cascading hazards.
2. Create an inventory of multi-hazard hotspots using satellite-based monitoring and impact-based forecasting.
3. Shift transboundary cooperation from sharing raw data to providing decision-ready information, shortening the time between detection and action.
4. Assess regional resources and disaster response capacities through a regional baseline assessment across ICIMOD’s Regional Member Countries (RMCs).
5. Review communication and outreach protocols across RMCs and identify mechanisms that can accelerate information sharing during disaster events.
6. Establish a technical working group by leveraging expertise across RMCs and organisations such as ICIMOD, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
7. Create a regional response fund with support from member countries and development partners.
8. Develop a shared data portal to reduce institutional data silos and improve coordination through consolidated cross-agency information.
9. Promote people-centred recovery informed by gender-disaggregated data to support decisions on resettlement, livelihoods, and economic and cultural recovery.
10. Develop phased recovery plans supported by short-, medium- and long-term financing for relief, rehabilitation and risk-informed reconstruction.

The recommendations reflect growing concern that mountain hazards are becoming more complex, more interconnected and more difficult to manage through traditional risk management approaches. The 26 August Rasuwa-Gyirong flood demonstrated how hazards originating high in the mountains can trigger cascading impacts across river systems, infrastructure, communities and international borders.

Preliminary scientific assessments indicate that a slope failure in the Langtang Lirung mountain range triggered an ice-rock avalanche that flowed through the Lhende Khola and the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system, carrying rock, ice, water, debris, and sediment downstream.

The recommendations highlight the need for greater investment not only in monitoring technologies, but also in the institutions responsible for observation, risk assessment and data collection. They call for stronger monitoring of high-risk mountain hotspots, improved cross-border knowledge sharing, more effective multi-hazard early warning systems, and better integration of cascading risks into infrastructure planning and development.

The implications are particularly significant as countries across the HKH continue to invest heavily in roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, transmission networks and trade corridors, much of which is located in highly dynamic mountain environments. Understanding cascading risks is essential not only for protecting lives and livelihoods, but also for safeguarding economic development and critical infrastructure.

Scientists emphasised that important questions remain about the factors contributing to the disaster, including geological conditions, glacier dynamics, permafrost and a changing climate. While further research is needed to determine the contribution of these drivers, experts agreed that the broader influence of climate change on mountain ecosystems is clear and critical.

Across the HKH, glaciers are retreating, permafrost is degrading, and mountain hydrological systems are changing rapidly. These changes are creating new and evolving risks, underscoring the importance of science-based preparedness and long-term investment in resilience. Regional collaboration and joint action also play a significant role in ensuring that risks and impacts are identified and addressed as they cascade from mountains to lowlands.

The recommendations were also informed by international experience, including the management of the 2025 ice-rock avalanche in Blatten, Canton of Valais, Switzerland.

“Unfortunately, there is no miracle solution; we need to continue working on improving safety measures and technological systems, as well as collaborating among scientists and across borders,” said Raphael Mayoraz.

Early detection of the Blatten ice-rock avalanche enabled the evacuation of an entire valley village before disaster struck, demonstrating how timely monitoring and effective early warning systems can significantly reduce the loss of life even when major physical damage cannot be avoided.

Her Excellency Dr Danielle Meuwly, Ambassador of Switzerland to Nepal, stated, “Switzerland stands with the people of Nepal and the Government of Nepal following this tragic disaster. We support the Government of Nepal and ICIMOD in learning from the catastrophic Rasuwa-Gyirong flood and in identifying solutions to strengthen detection, monitoring and early warning systems for future ice-rock avalanches and related hazards across the Hindu Kush Himalaya.”

For governments and communities across the region, the message behind the Kathmandu 10 Action Points is clear: reducing future losses will depend not only on understanding individual hazards but also on preparing for the cascading mountain risks that increasingly connect mountains, rivers, infrastructure, and people across borders.

Additional quotes for media use 

“As a country that has itself suffered frequently from natural disasters, Pakistan shares the region’s river systems and understands the urgency required. Pakistan’s own approach to a proactive and tech-enabled framework has a capacity to apply this to its own hazards while scaling solutions all the way to the community level.”

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal  

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“This is not Nepal’s crisis, this is the world’s crisis. The UK’s support would focus on cascading mountain hazards, early warning systems and the hydropower sector – large parts of the Nepali economy may have to be rethought in the light of this disaster.”

Rob Fenn, Ambassador of UK to Nepal  

For media inquiries, please contact:
ICIMOD (Kathmandu)

Claire Warmenbol, Head of Communications
Raz Tuladhar, Media Officer
Anshu Pandey, Senior Media Associate
Email: media@icimod.org