Flood-Stricken Districts Send Over 30 Expectant Mothers to Kathmandu for Delivery
Following the August 26 floods that isolated Rasuwa and Nuwakot, at least 33 pregnant women have been forced to travel to Kathmandu to give birth.
Heavy rains on August 26 caused the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers to flood, destroying major roads and bridges in Rasuwa and Nuwakot and isolating dozens of villages. With local clinics disrupted, health authorities have urged expectant mothers to seek delivery care in Kathmandu, resulting in at least 33 women arriving in the capital over the past month. Four women in labour were evacuated by helicopter, and deliveries are now taking place at Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital in Thapathali and Kirtipur Hospital.
The loss of road access has also halted ultrasound examinations, forcing women to travel long distances on improvised river crossings that can take hours. Medical experts warn that missed antenatal visits and delayed detection of complications raise the risk of pre-term birth and stillbirths. Nepal’s maternal-health programs have lowered mortality rates dramatically, but the disaster threatens to reverse those gains.
Why it matters
The story shows how flood damage endangers maternal health by cutting off essential services and forcing risky travel for childbirth.
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