On the morning of August 26th, a glacier gave way above Kyirong, on the Tibetan side of the border. The water and debris tore down through Rasuwa, then Nuwakot, taking villages, bridges, and hydropower stations with it, down the Bhote Koshi and into the Trishuli.
As of this writing, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, more than 350 people are confirmed dead in Nepal, with over 800 still missing. Three more are dead in Tibet, with hundreds unaccounted for. Many of the missing were pilgrims headed to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, sacred ground to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bönpo alike.
I have been to Nepal many times over the years. Most of my Buddhist teachers, I met or studied with there. It has long been one of the centers of Tibetan Buddhism in exile. Rasuwa and Nuwakot are not just names on a map to me.
The Dalai Lama released a statement Thursday: “I am saddened to learn of the devastating floods in the Rasuwa region of Nepal and Kyirong in Tibet, resulting in loss of life and heavy structural damage. I pray for all those who have lost their lives, and offer my sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and to all those affected by this tragedy.” He also pointed to climate change as a possible underlying cause.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, the Bön teacher, shared this prayer with his students: “May those who have passed rest in peace. May the injured recover swiftly. May grieving families find strength and comfort, and may all those offering help be guided by compassion and wisdom.”
If Nepal has given you anything over the years, this is a good time to give something back. A few organizations already working on the ground:
• Nepal Red Cross Society, through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which has already released emergency funding to its response: ifrc.org
• GlobalGiving’s Nepal Flood Relief Fund, which channels funding to local organizations for search and rescue, medical care, and shelter: globalgiving.org
• Direct Relief, which has supported Nepal’s health system since 2009 and is coordinating medical aid with Nepal’s Ministry of Health: directrelief.org
A caution worth repeating, since Nepali authorities have said it themselves: give through registered organizations, not personal accounts or fundraisers circulating on social media. Scams follow disasters fast.
May those who have died find peace. May the missing be found. May the searchers stay safe.
For footage of the flooding, Euronews has video of the Rasuwa valley filmed by the Nepal Red Cross at euronews.com.
For official updates, visit ndrrma.gov.np.
This article was originally published by James Gritz in his Substack newsletter, Ordinary Mind.
