UN-backed effort races to rescue and aid Nepal’s ‘mountain tsunami’ survivors before winter
Two weeks after a wall of water, mud and ice swept through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli valleys along Nepal’s border with China, the country is still counting the dead and searching for thousands of missing people. By Sunday, 1,342 people had been confirmed dead and 4,996 remained missing, according to the UN spokesperson’s office. Nepal's government, working through the national disaster…
In the wake of a devastating "mountain tsunami" that struck Nepal's Bhote Koshi and Trishuli valleys, the nation is grappling with the loss of 1,342 lives and the disappearance of 4,996 individuals, according to the United Nations. The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse on August 26, has drawn the attention of a global response effort involving over 21,000 search and rescue personnel from around the world.
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has played a pivotal role, deploying teams to Nuwakot district to assess damage and identify isolated communities. A $49.6 million flash appeal has been launched to provide aid to more than 84,000 affected people, with priority given to Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts as winter approaches.
The response is facing significant challenges, particularly access to remote areas, as roads leading to the worst-hit zones remain blocked. The disaster has also damaged critical infrastructure, with nine schools destroyed, and 19 damaged, while six health facilities were either destroyed or rendered inaccessible. The UN and its partners are working to deliver essential services, including medical care, food, shelter, water, sanitation, and psychosocial support.
However, the long-term rebuilding efforts will need to consider the long-term threat posed by glacial lakes and unstable glaciers in the region.
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