Some Nepal villages so devastated, you’d think they never existed, says Malaysian relief volunteer

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Malaysian relief volunteers have witnessed devastating floods in Nepal that have left many villages seemingly abandoned, according to the Mercy Malaysia Rapid Assessment Team leader. Vivegananthan Rajangam said that some settlements along the rivers were left with no houses, making it appear as though the villages never existed. “If someone went there for the first time, they would think there was no village there,” he told Harian Metro.

The damage was severe, with many concrete buildings swept away, leaving only about 20 percent of such structures intact in some areas, Vivegananthan recounted. In addition to the loss of homes, accumulated sludge lined the riverbanks, complicating the recovery efforts.

Survivors have been evacuated to Kathmandu and Nuwakot and housed in schools and halls on higher ground. The Nepali authorities have set up temporary shelters for the survivors, with 19 such shelters established in Nuwakot alone. While food supplies at these shelters are adequate, the survivors still require further assistance.

Mercy Malaysia’s three-member team, led by Vivegananthan, will remain in Nepal for approximately 10 days to assess how best to support those affected by the disaster. Their focus is on helping survivors rebuild their lives, providing assistance like medicines, cooking equipment, and toys for children through Nepali authorities, including the Health Ministry. Vivegananthan stressed that they are not involved in search and rescue operations, but rather in aiding the survivors to return to normalcy.