Nabil Bank Temporarily Halts Services at Timure Branch Due to Flood and Landslide Impact in Rasuwa

10th October 2025, Kathmandu

Nabil Bank Limited, a pioneer in Nepal’s financial sector, has announced the temporary suspension of physical banking services at its Timure Branch in Rasuwa District. The closure comes in response to severe weather-induced calamities, including incessant heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides that have critically impacted the northern mountainous region of Nepal.

Nabil Bank Halts Services 

This event underscores the persistent operational challenges faced by financial institutions in high-risk geographic areas, while simultaneously highlighting the vital role of digital resilience in ensuring customer access during crises.

The Timure Branch is strategically located near the Rasuwagadhi border point, which is a crucial commercial and trade gateway between Nepal and China via the Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung-Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road. Its importance extends beyond local community banking; the branch supports trade finance, customs payments, and the financial needs of the local business ecosystem, including importers, transporters, and those working at the Rasuwagadhi customs yard and the nearby Timure Dry Port. The temporary closure, therefore, represents a minor but significant disruption to the economic lifeblood of the region.

The Nature of the Infrastructural Threat in Rasuwa

The decision to suspend operations was directly prompted by the hazardous conditions created by the monsoon. The search snippets confirm that Rasuwa District is highly vulnerable, frequently suffering from devastating events:

Critical Road Blockages and Damage: Floods and landslides have repeatedly led to the complete obstruction of the main artery road connecting Kathmandu to the border area, specifically the Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung-Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road. This severe damage to transportation networks (roads and bridges) is the primary obstacle, making physical access for staff and customers unsafe or impossible, which is cited as the main reason for the branch suspension. The overall cost of road and bridge damage nationwide from recent rains has been estimated at over NPR 4.63 billion, illustrating the magnitude of the infrastructural collapse.

Physical Infrastructure Risk: While the specific damage to the Nabil Bank building is currently being assessed, floods in this region—often glacial or flash floods from the Lhendi River—have previously been catastrophic. Incidents near Timure and Rasuwagadhi have resulted in the washing away of bridges (like the Friendship Bridge and local Bailey bridges) and severe physical damage to surrounding infrastructure, including hydropower dams, customs offices, and the under-construction Timure Dry Port (which sustained 60% physical damage in a recent flood). These events demonstrate the high probability of direct flood damage, along with disruptions to power and communication lines essential for bank operations.

Safety and Logistics: The immediate and unavoidable risks of continued landslides and debris flow forced the bank to prioritize the safety of its staff and customers, making physical transactions untenable.

The Digital Shield: Ensuring Continuity via Nabil SmartBank

Despite the physical shutdown, Nabil Bank’s commitment to service continuity is effectively managed by its robust digital banking infrastructure. The bank is successfully navigating the crisis by leveraging its investment in technology, specifically its nBank (Nabil SmartBank) mobile application and corporate internet banking solutions like e@Nabil.

The digital platform allows customers in Rasuwa and beyond to perform a comprehensive range of transactions remotely, effectively bypassing the need for a physical branch visit:

Digital Service Capability (nBank / e@Nabil) Importance During Branch Shutdown

• Fund Transfers (Intra-bank & Inter-bank) Enables immediate local payments and remittances, crucial for merchants and local trade.
• Bill Payments and Utility Services Allows essential payments (electricity, phone, internet) to continue seamlessly, preventing service cuts.
• Account Management & Statements Provides constant access to financial status, reducing anxiety and need for in-person inquiries.
• Virtual Card Applications (iCard) Supports online payments and USD transactions, vital for cross-border trade elements still functioning.
• Corporate Bulk Transactions Allows businesses to process salaries and vendor payments (e@Nabil), maintaining local economic stability.

This digital pivot is a significant step toward Shock-Responsive Social Protection (SRSP) in the financial sector, ensuring that vulnerable communities—who might already face challenges traveling to banks to receive social security allowances during monsoon season—retain access to their funds and financial services without delay.

Prioritizing Recovery and Disaster Resilience

Nabil Bank’s immediate action plan involves coordinating with the Department of Roads (DoR) and local authorities to monitor the Galchhi-Rasuwagadhi road clearance. The head office’s mobilization team will be crucial in assessing the Timure site for structural stability and restoring necessary digital connectivity (power and internet).

The wider implication of this event reinforces the industry-wide focus on “building back better.” For financial institutions operating in Nepal’s high-risk areas, this means:

• Geospatial Risk Assessment: More sophisticated analysis of flood and landslide susceptibility for all branch locations.
• Decentralized Operations: Enhancing the self-sufficiency of local branches regarding power, communication, and immediate emergency resources.
• Unwavering Digital Adoption: Continuing to push services like nBank to reduce reliance on physical infrastructure, which the floods are most effective at destroying.

By assuring customers that their money and transactions are safe and accessible through digital channels, Nabil Bank maintains trust and demonstrates operational transparency, serving as a model for financial service continuity in one of Nepal’s most challenging geographical environments. The prompt resumption of the Timure Branch will be eagerly awaited by local residents and the trade community relying on this vital northern gateway.

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