Church News
By EWTN News Staff.
Five days after Nepal’s worst glacial flood, Caritas continued a full-scale relief operation for thousands of families in the affected area. The work has also taken on the grim task of corpse management, helping deal with the many dead bodies resulting from the catastrophe.
The official death toll of the deluge, provided by authorities, has climbed to 919, and 4,793 people are still missing. More than 930 hydropower workers remain unaccounted for, LiCAS News reported. Many are feared to be trapped in hydro tunnels along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system.
In a situation report shared with EWTN News on Aug. 30, the president of Caritas Nepal, Father Silas Krishna Bogati, confirmed that the Catholic Church’s response is fully operational. Emergency shelters and hygiene kits have reached over 1,000 households. A cash assistance payment of 15,000 Nepali rupees (roughly $110) is being distributed to 750 of the worst-affected families.
The priest, who also serves as apostolic administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, added that more than 50 community kitchens run daily to feed 300 families.
Operations supported by China and India
The full scale of destruction is yet to be accounted for. Reuters reported that the flood destroyed 19 bridges, roadways, and other crucial infrastructure, hampering emergency aid and the search for survivors.
As rescue operations, supported by China and India, continue amid the risk of landslides and more flooding, aid workers are already flagging a second looming emergency: winter. Displaced families sheltering in high-altitude areas will require thermal gear and winter-proof shelter within weeks, Bogati shared with EWTN News.
Nepal Red Cross has formally asked Caritas Nepal to source more than 1,000 body bags, with decomposition already becoming a public health concern, the president of Caritas Nepal wrote.
To avoid future catastrophes, Nepal and China are expected to improve communication on real-time glacier data, avalanche risks, and water levels.
International pledges for help and support exceed $200 million, with commitments from the United States, Europe, Canada, and the World Bank.
Pope Leo XIV again prayed on Sunday for the flood victims. “Let us pray for those who have lost their lives, for the injured, those missing, for the families and rescue workers,” he said. “May the concern of everyone help to alleviate the suffering and provide the necessary aid to the people affected.”
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, U.S. bishops called for international mobilization and “long-term efforts to help affected communities rebuild their homes, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure.”
