Devastating flash flooding killed hundreds of people in Nepal and along the Nepal-Tibet border this week. Thousands more remain missing. An untold number of Nepali families are in need.
Samaritan’s Purse has sent a team of disaster relief specialists to Nepal to work with trusted Christian partners on the ground. We have been working with these local churches and groups since the terrible 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks. They are already distributing emergency items including tarps, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, and more. An airlift from Greensboro, North Carolina, is also in the works to provide many tons of relief including more tarps, blankets, solar lights, hygiene kits, and tents.
Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham posted the following on Facebook on Aug. 26: “The media is calling the scenes of catastrophic flash flooding on the Nepal-Tibet border ‘apocalyptic.’ The numbers are not yet fully known, but more than 150 people are already confirmed dead, with many missing, including hundreds of tourists. … Stranded residents were being rescued off rooftops by helicopter. Take a moment to stop and pray for the people of this region and for families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.” The death toll has now risen above 600 (Aug. 28) and is expected to increase.
Search-and-rescue operations continue. Scientists believe part of a glacier collapsed to the valley floor of this remote and mountainous region, which caused the equivalent of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. Such a tremendous landslide pushed a terrifying and deadly wall of water down through the narrow river canyons and beyond for many miles, destroying buildings, homes, bridges, and roads.
There are fears of additional flooding in the region.
Please pray for more survivors to be found in the coming hours. Pray for safe access to bring relief in Jesus’ Name alongside our partners. Finally, lift up families around the world who are grieving the loss of loved ones.
