Information Matters: Supporting Journalists During Disasters

Communities cut off by damaged roads, disrupted electricity, and unreliable communications need more than updates on river levels or road access. They need clear, verified, and practical information on where risks remained, what support was available, and what decisions they could take to protect themselves and their families. 

The 2026 Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi Flood in Nepal showed the importance of timely and accurate information during disaster. The Government of Nepal's Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) found that damage to transport and communication networks isolated communities and constrained rescue, relief and assessment activities. 

The response also showed how central access to information can be. The Flood Forecasting Division disseminated 679,295 early-warning SMS messages to people in identified downstream risk areas. But as electricity, telecommunications and transport networks were disrupted, keeping reliable information flowing became more difficult. 

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