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A new global report by Habitat for Humanity titled ‘Home at What Cost?’ reveals that housing insecurity in Nepal significantly outpaces global averages, forcing citizens into extreme financial and health trade-offs. Based on recent nationally representative surveys, 70 percent of Nepalis frequently struggle to pay housing costs, more than double the global average of 34 percent, and an equal share worry a single life setback could jeopardize their homes.

This severe economic pressure directly impacts basic survival, health, and future milestones. Nearly 3 in 10 respondents have delayed medical care due to housing expenses, 21 percent have relied on food assistance, and 72 percent report that housing costs make it difficult to consider starting a family. Furthermore, 76 percent feel unsafe due to poor living conditions.

Compounding these personal struggles are major structural and environmental vulnerabilities, including an annual housing deficit of 34,000 units and heightened risks from landslides and floods. Eliza Sthapit, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Nepal, has emphasized the urgent need for collective action to expand safe, affordable, and climate-resilient housing.

Normal life has been affected in Humla district due to sudden rainfall and snowfall since Tuesday night.

The higher reaches of the district have been witnessing snowfall and incessant rainfall is taking place at lower areas. 

Snowfall is taking place in mountainous areas and high-hilly areas including Namkha and Simkot while lower areas including Adanchuli and Tajakot have been experiencing light rainfall from Tuesday night. 

Daily life of the locals has been affected due to the chilly conditions following rainfall and snowfall. 

The problem has also surfaced in movement due to muddy roads following incessant rainfall. 

Dipak Karki of Sarkegad-1 shared that vehicular movement has been disrupted following road obstruction at some places.  

Farmers are worried thinking the rainfall might damage their paddy crop as well as vegetables planted in their farms. 

Locals are concerned after water flow in streams has started increasing. 

The snowfall has made it difficult for residents to even take their cattle out for grazing.

Locals have been urged to remain alert towards possible damages as snowfall and rainfall are taking place in the district along with the sudden change in weather, said Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Shankar Khadka. 

Global communications technology company Hytera and its Nepal partner Awddel donated communications equipment and technology worth more than Rs 100 million to Nepal’s security forces to support search-and-rescue and disaster-response missions.

The Armed Police Force (APF) and Nepal Police have received donations under the initiative.

Nepal Police has publicly confirmed its receipt through posts on its official Facebook and X accounts.

According to a source, a similar donation to the Nepal Army is scheduled to take place. However, the Army-related donation has not yet been independently confirmed.

The package includes body-worn cameras (BWC), Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) radios and E-Pack portable repeaters, together with associated hardware and software which enable the agencies to establish an integrated central command center across various communications modes using wireless and telecommunications devices.

The technology is intended to provide security and rescue personnel with additional communications capabilities, particularly in situations where normal communications infrastructure is unavailable or disrupted.

Such capabilities can be particularly relevant during earthquakes, floods, landslides, mountain rescues and other disasters, when conventional communications may be affected.

Ning Ma, Hytera’s Asia Regional Head based in Seoul, South Korea, together with representatives of Awddel, including its Chairman Sanjaya Pradhan handed over the equipment amidst a program. 

The contributions come as Nepal’s security agencies continue to play a central role in search-and-rescue operations and disaster response across the country, including responses to earthquakes, floods, landslides and other emergencies.

The Narayani River flood has damaged around 1.15 km of embankment along the Chitwan side of the river.

Of the 35-km stretch from the Narayani Bridge westward to Golaghat in Bharatpur Metropolitan City, embankments have been constructed along about 20 km.

The recent floods damaged 600 meters of embankment in the Siddhiganesh forest area, 300 meters in Majhuwa forest, 100 metres in Hirapur, and 50 meters each in Gareshwar, Ganjipur and Katero forest area.

According to Sagar Paudel, information officer at the Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project in Bharatpur, the embankments helped limit flood damage in Chitwan despite some inundation.

However, the situation was more severe on the Nawalparasi side, where embankment construction remains limited.

Floodwaters caused extensive erosion in several areas, including Amaltari, Nandapur, Sitapur, Serai, Parsauni, Tamaspur, Baguwa and Susta, Paudel said.

Only about nine kilometers of embankment has been constructed along the 98-km stretch below the Narayani Bridge in Nawalparasi, leaving unprotected areas more vulnerable to river erosion.