“I Still Feel a Trembling Fear”: how disaster memory shapes men’s caring masculinities through relational presence and vigilance following riverine flooding in Kathmandu, Nepal

Riverine disasters can destroy homes and cause long-term emotional and social harm. These impacts unfold through gendered expectations in preparedness, response, and recovery, where men’s masculinities are often linked to risk-taking behaviours, while their vulnerabilities remain overlooked. As a result, limited attention has been paid to how disasters shape men's experiences of care and vulnerability. Addressing this gap, we examine how disaster memories of the September 2024 Bagmati River flood shaped Nepali men's caring masculinities, with particular attention to experiences of vulnerability during the first monsoon season one year after the disaster. We draw on interviews with 25 men and 25 women, focus group discussions, and key informant insights from village leaders, experts, and practitioners. Findings reveal that heavy rainfall acted as a trigger of disaster memory during the first monsoon following the flood, shaping men's caring masculinities through heightened vigilance and a desire to remain relationally present for their families. Fear, worry, and anxiety rooted in previous flood experiences motivated many working men to prioritise returning home during periods of intense rainfall. These findings position men also as subjects of care whose well-being remains largely overlooked in disaster policy and practice. This research recommends integrating men’s vulnerabilities into Social and Health Impact Assessments alongside those of women and children, as part of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM). Recognising men’s caring masculinity and vulnerability can reveal how resilience is produced and strained in flood-prone communities, reframing men’s health (SDG 3) and promoting gender equity (SDG 5) through inclusive DRRM.