Nepal mourned the deaths of more than 1,300 people following the devastating August 26 Bhotekoshi flood. The Government of Nepal lowered national flags to half-mast, while members of the international community in Nepal joined the nation in solemn mourning.
President Ramchandra Paudel appealed to the international community to ensure climate justice for vulnerable nations like Nepal. Paudel stated: “I earnestly call upon the international community not only to listen to the voices of ecologically affected countries like Nepal, but also to take concrete and effective steps to ensure climate justice for them.”
In Australia’s Parliament, Foreign Minister Penny Wong presented a condolence motion for Nepal, reaffirming that the Australian government stands ready to support search and rescue operations. She informed Parliament that specialist Australian drone operators have arrived in Nepal as part of a 15-person Disaster Assistance Response Team. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added: “Families have lost loved ones. Thousands of people remain missing, and among them are 36 Australians.” Australia has committed $11 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency shelter, food, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.
Rescue operations remain heavily focused on impacted hydropower site where over 700 people were initially believed to be trapped. However, the Nepal Army clarified that the number of workers trapped inside the hydropower tunnel is likely around 121. The Army confirmed that rescue efforts will continue around the clock until a breakthrough into the tunnel is achieved, as hopes remain that trapped workers may still be alive.
Meanwhile, relatives of the missing workers at the Upper Trishuli-3B Hydropower Project staged a demonstration at Maitighar, Kathmandu, demanding that search and rescue operations be given top priority. Demonstrators expressed anger toward Home Minister Sudan Gurung, criticizing his administration for failing to bring in specialized international rescuers sooner.
Internationally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone conversation with Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane. Rubio extended his deep condolences over the devastating loss of life caused by the Bhotekoshi floods and expressed total solidarity with the people and government of Nepal.
In Kathmandu, residents are grappling with a severe shortage of cooking gas due to extensive damage along the Prithvi Highway, which was cut off during the August 26 flood. While the Kathmandu Valley typically consumes 40,000 gas cylinders daily, current supply deliveries have dropped to just 25,000. As a result of the ongoing fuel deficit, local hotels and restaurants are being forced to close their doors.
Authorities are also combating a wave of online misinformation. Nepal Police launched a crackdown on social media channels to curb fake news and inflammatory content regarding the Bhotekoshi flood. On the political front, the Communist Party of Nepal urged the government to establish a joint Himalayan Disaster Monitoring and Research Mechanism involving Nepal, China, and India to mitigate rising natural disaster risks across border regions.
To prevent secondary health crises, the Nepal government dispatched 21,000 doses of cholera vaccine to Rasuwa District as a proactive measure against waterborne infectious disease outbreaks following the floods. Following the catastrophe, Nepal is amplifying its push for climate reparations. Prime Minister Balendra Shah is expected to place climate justice at the center of his upcoming address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Over the past week, intense debate has gripped Nepal over climate justice and financial reparations owed by high-emitting wealthy nations. Experts emphasize that Nepal must thoroughly prepare its diplomatic arguments.
Analysts suggest Nepal take lessons from Pakistan, which mobilized substantial international assistance following its 2022 floods through the "International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan" co-hosted with the UN in January 2023. However, while multilateral institutions pledged $10 billion to Pakistan, much of it was structured as long-term loans. Consequently, observers advise that Nepal must move beyond general rhetoric and focus on securing direct financial grants.
Side meetings during the UNGA offer Prime Minister Shah an opportunity to build international support. While the global Loss and Damage Fund has received pledges exceeding $822 million from 27 countries, only $485 million has been paid in so far. Nepal and other vulnerable nations have submitted 176 aid requests totaling $2.8 billion, though the board has yet to finalize funding approvals. Nepal is also exploring accelerated access to the Green Climate Fund.
Kamal Dev Bhattarai
