The catastrophic flood that struck Kathmandu Valley in late September 2024 marked one of the most severe urban flood events in Nepal’s recent history. Triggered by an extreme rainfall event with cumulative precipitation exceeding 300 mm in just three days, the disaster exposed systemic vulnerabilities in the valley’s urban infrastructure, watershed governance, and disaster preparedness mechanisms.

This study was commissioned by Oxfam in Nepal to investigate the root causes, impacts, and governance challenges associated with the September 2024 flood, with the goal of informing policy, planning, and institutional reform toward flood resilience in Kathmandu Valley. The research draws on key informant interviews (KIIs), hydrological and spatial data, institutional observations, a multistakeholder monsoon preparedness workshop, and GIS-based hazard mapping. It focuses on local governments, government institutions and private entities while also assessing broader watershed dynamics and the implications of large-scale infrastructure such as the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.