Nepal Requires Foreign Reporters to Secure Press Accreditation Before Entering Flood‑Hit Zones

In a move that has caught many foreign correspondents off‑guard, Nepal’s Ministry of Information and Communication announced that journalists from outside the country will need a special Press Accreditation Card before stepping foot in flood‑stricken regions along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers.

The rule, outlined in an official notice from the Department of Information and Broadcasting (DoIB), says the accreditation – essentially a journalist identity card – will be valid for just 15 days. It’s meant to cover the short window when the rivers are most volatile after the monsoon deluge.

Applying for the card isn’t a walk in the park. Reporters must lodge an online request and attach a copy of their passport with a current visa or entry permit. On top of that, they need a recommendation letter from their home media outlet addressed to the DoIB, plus another endorsement from their embassy, consular office, or ministry of foreign affairs.

Once the paperwork is reviewed, the Director General of the DoIB will issue the accreditation. To smooth the process, the department has set up a help desk on site to field questions and assist with any hiccups that may arise.

The timing of the new rule is hardly accidental. Earlier this week, authorities issued a fresh flood alert for the Budhigandaki basin after heavy rains swelled the Therang River in the mountainous Gorkha district. The sudden surge washed away four houses and a suspension bridge in Chumanubri Rural Municipality‑4, though, thankfully, no lives were lost.

Local police chief Deputy Superintendent Rajkumar Shrestha told reporters that residents managed to flee in time, but the loss of the bridge could hamper trekkers heading toward the Manaslu region – a popular trail that snakes through rice‑filled valleys and icy passes.

These isolated incidents are part of a larger tragedy. Nationwide, the relentless combination of floods and landslides has already claimed more than 1,300 lives, according to the latest figures from Nepal Police. Rescue teams are still combing the hills, having just pulled a Chinese national from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli‑1 hydropower project and rescued a 64‑year‑old woman in Betrawati, Nuwakot.

While the accreditation requirement may add a layer of bureaucracy for foreign media, officials argue it’s a necessary step to coordinate reporting, ensure journalist safety, and manage information flow during an ongoing humanitarian crisis.