The United Nations’ top official in Nepal has issued an emotional appeal for international aid, warning that survivors of the catastrophic Himalayan flooding last month saw their lives transformed “in one to two minutes”. The UN Resident Coordinator, Lila Pieters Yahia, said communities along the China-Nepal border were struggling to comprehend the scale of devastation after torrential floods on August 26 tore through mountain districts, destroying roads, bridges and hydropower dams. Among the missing are more than 800 foreigners from at least 34 countries, including tourists and pilgrims.
Many communities near the epicentre remain cut off, with roads washed away and journeys that once took hours now stretching into days. The UN, working with Nepal’s government, has launched a $50m appeal to support more than 84,000 people affected. The UN’s Pieters Yahia warned of the risk of cholera and other communicable diseases, citing the deaths of 5,000 cattle and urging urgent investment in sanitation, hygiene and protection for vulnerable women and girls.
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