The people of Nepal need our support right now

On Wednesday 26 August, a catastrophic flood unfolded across Nepal, tearing through the provinces of Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi, and devastating communities along the Trishuli River corridor. What happened was beyond imagination. In a matter of seconds, homes, bridges, shops and entire markets were swept away by what eyewitnesses describe as a 30-metre wall of water, mud and debris.

The scale of loss is heartbreaking. At least 987 deaths have been confirmed, a number which is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue, with more than 3,900 people still missing. Hundreds of families have lost everything in an instant - their homes, their livelihoods, their loved ones. Survivors are desperately trying to trace their missing children and parents, while at the same time searching for a safe place to shelter and food to feed their families. Power supplies have been badly damaged, plunging areas into darkness, and bridges and roads have been blocked by rubble, making it incredibly difficult for rescue teams to reach survivors in remote areas. Rasuwa and Nuwakot are the worst-affected, and there is now fear of even more destruction as a lake remains at risk of bursting.