By Abdullahi Lukman
Flooding triggered by the collapse of a glacier along the Nepal-China border has killed more than 1,250 people and left thousands missing, according to the United Nations, as relief agencies intensify efforts to assist affected communities before winter.
The glacier collapsed on August 26 near the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, unleashing floods that severely affected communities across northern Nepal.
The UN estimates that about 84,270 people, representing 19,284 households, have been affected.
The hardest-hit areas include Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, where roads, schools, electricity networks and water systems have been damaged or destroyed. Many survivors have also lost their homes, livelihoods and relatives.
Working alongside the Nepalese government and emergency authorities, UN agencies and humanitarian partners are preparing assistance aimed at helping families meet immediate needs while supporting economic recovery and rebuilding critical services.
Planned assistance includes cash support, cold-weather shelter materials, portable solar power systems, water purification equipment and food. Mobile health clinics will also provide medical and nutritional services, while efforts will focus on preventing disease outbreaks.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal Lila Pieters Yahia said many families had lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones within minutes, stressing the need to reach isolated communities before winter conditions make access more difficult.
Agriculture is another major concern. The sector accounts for about 24 per cent of Nepal’s gross domestic product, with livestock contributing roughly half of agricultural output, according to the World Bank. Relief efforts will therefore include measures to protect surviving livestock and help farmers preserve their livelihoods.
UNICEF and other agencies have already begun delivering emergency assistance. A UNICEF- and European Union-supported aircraft carrying 84 metric tonnes of relief supplies arrived in Kathmandu on Friday.
The shipment includes diarrhoea treatment kits, water tanks, hygiene supplies, water-treatment materials, winter clothing and educational resources, which UNICEF says will benefit hundreds of thousands of people.
UNICEF has also distributed emergency supplies in affected communities and helped establish child-friendly spaces equipped with recreational materials for children impacted by the disaster.
UNICEF Representative in Nepal Alice Akunga said continued assistance would be critical to helping children recover, remain healthy and return to school as communities begin rebuilding.
Humanitarian agencies are continuing to move relief supplies into hard-hit areas, with immediate priorities including disease prevention, restoration of essential infrastructure and support for families still searching for missing relatives.
