“When the Country Hurts, We Hurt Too”: Nepalis in U.S. Express Grief and Rally for Relief After Deadly Nepal Floods
Floodwaters damaged homes and businesses in Trishuli Bazaar, Nuwakot, after a destructive surge from the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa. Photo: Dipendra Dhungana/Nepyork.
Nepalis living in the United States have expressed grief and concern and called for assistance after devastating floods that began near Nepal’s Rasuwagadhi border crossing and swept along the Trishuli River corridor, damaging communities in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan.
The government has confirmed 95 deaths, though officials said the numbers of dead, missing and displaced could change as rescue operations continue in affected areas.
Dr. Bishnumaya Pariyar of New Jersey said she was deeply saddened by the reports. She offered condolences to the families of those killed and said she hoped people living through the disaster would find strength and comfort.
Narbada Chhetri of New York said that while natural disasters cannot be prevented, individuals and communities can exercise restraint in times of national mourning. She urged people to forgo Teej celebrations involving alcohol for several days and instead offer prayers and sympathy.
Nepali artist Sitaram Kattel, who lives in North Carolina, recalled returning to Nepal during the 2015 earthquake after witnessing the country’s suffering from the United States. He said Nepal is again in pain while many abroad are forced to watch from afar. He urged people in affected and at-risk areas to remain alert, stay safe and look after one another.
Lok Tiwari of Maryland said the reports of destruction along the Bhote Koshi River and in Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha had left Nepalis abroad shocked and heartbroken.
“When the country hurts, we hurt too,” Tiwari said, adding that he is prepared to provide every possible humanitarian contribution despite being far from Nepal.
Tiwari wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the floods, paid tribute to the dead and extended condolences to bereaved families. He also thanked the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, health workers, elected representatives, volunteers and others involved in rescue and relief efforts.
Anand Bista of New York said helping with rescue, relief and rehabilitation for victims of flooding in Rasuwa’s Lende Khola and along the Trishuli River is a humanitarian, moral and social responsibility.
Bista said he has made a financial contribution to the disaster relief fund and appealed to Nepali Congress leaders and workers, supporters, businesspeople, organizations and Nepalis in Nepal and abroad to donate according to their ability.
“Even a small contribution can become a great source of hope and confidence for a family affected by disaster,” he said.
New York Vigil Planned
Several Nepali diaspora organizations have jointly announced a candlelight vigil and condolence gathering for Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights, New York.
The event will honor those who died in the disaster, express solidarity with bereaved and affected families, and offer prayers for injured people’s recovery.
The joint statement calls on Nepalis in New York and nearby areas, representatives of Nepali organizations, community groups, intellectuals, businesspeople, youth and other residents to attend.
Basu Lamichhane, president of the NRNA America New York Chapter, said the community should remain united in grief and stand beside the homeland during its time of suffering.
“United in sorrow, we stand with the homeland’s pain,” the statement said.
California Group Launches Fundraiser
The Nuwakot America Liaison Committee, a U.S.-based organization of people with roots in Nuwakot, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support immediate relief and rehabilitation for people affected by flooding in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading.
Janakraj Dhungana, the committee’s general secretary, said the sudden flooding along the Trishuli River destroyed homes and livelihoods, leaving families searching for relatives, displaced from their homes and facing shortages of food, shelter and clean water.
“Although we are far away in America, our hearts are on the banks of the Trishuli,” Dhungana said. “When our birthplace is crying, we cannot remain silent.”
Dhungana, who was born in Nuwakot and lives in California, said the committee has supported education, health care, disaster response and humanitarian efforts for about a decade. He said donations will be managed transparently and sent either through the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund or directly to verified affected families.
The group said contributions can help provide food, warm clothing and safe shelter for families who have lost homes and belongings. Donations and shares can be made through the committee’s GoFundMe campaign.
Calls for Contributions
The Nepali Embassy in the United States and the Consulate General of Nepal in New York have appealed for financial assistance for rescue, relief and long-term rehabilitation of people affected by flooding in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa.
According to an appeal issued by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the flood struck at 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, Bhadra 10, 2083, affecting riverside communities in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and other districts.
The government said it has intensified search, rescue and relief operations and emphasized the need to move victims to safe locations immediately while preparing for long-term rehabilitation. It has urged Nepalis and other supporters to contribute to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Nepali Consulate General in New York also said on social media that the flooding caused major human and property losses and made a separate appeal for donations. Donors were asked to deposit funds into bank accounts announced by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Cause Still Under Investigation
Officials said the full extent of damage will become clear only after floodwaters recede and access improves in affected areas. The flood entered Nepal from China through the Bhote Koshi River.
According to Nepal’s foreign minister, a major landslide triggered by an earthquake in China may have blocked the Bhote Koshi River before water was suddenly released downstream into Nepal. Other preliminary assessments suggest that an ice-and-rock avalanche near a glacier may have blocked a tributary, formed a temporary lake and then caused a sudden flood when the blockage burst.
Authorities said the precise cause remains under investigation.
The flood entered Nepal through the Rasuwagadhi border area at about 9 a.m., spreading through Timure, Syabrubesi and other settlements in Rasuwa before moving along the Trishuli River and causing damage in Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan.
Damage and Rescue Efforts
Initial reports indicate that Rasuwagadhi, Timure and Syabrubesi suffered the heaviest damage. Floodwaters swept away homes, hotels, shops, a police post, tourist buses, cargo vehicles and commercial goods. The Rasuwagadhi customs yard, a major entry point for imports from China, was also reportedly destroyed.
Business groups estimate that floodwaters may have swept away more than 200 cargo trucks and between 500 and 700 imported electric vehicles. Chilime, Mailung, Betrawati, Trishuli Bazaar, Devighat, Galchhi, Gajuri and Malekhu also have been affected.
Preliminary reports indicate that more than 20 bridges between the Rasuwa border area and Galchhi were washed away, severing road connections across the river.
Damage to communications systems, roads, bridges and electricity infrastructure has made it difficult for rescuers to reach remote and severely affected settlements. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Tourist Police and local residents are conducting search, rescue, evacuation and damage-assessment operations.
Helicopters have been deployed, but poor weather and difficult terrain have prevented landings in some of the hardest-hit mountain settlements.
Missing People and Power Outages
The Nepal Tourism Board said 403 people are out of contact, including 341 foreign nationals and 62 Nepali citizens. The list includes 133 Indians, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 British citizens, 24 Canadians and 19 Malaysians. Of those unaccounted for, 203 are men and 200 are women.
The Energy Ministry said 13 to 15 hydropower projects and related electricity infrastructure, including the Chilime, Rasuwagadhi, Trishuli-3A and Trishuli-3B substations, have been affected. About 430 megawatts of electricity supply has been disrupted, leaving many areas of Rasuwa and Nuwakot without power.
Telephone and internet outages have also hindered contact with affected families and efforts to collect verified information about the damage.
Editor’s note: This report has been updated to include the planned candlelight vigil in Jackson Heights and the Nuwakot America Liaison Committee’s GoFundMe relief campaign.