One week after the disastrous flash floods, search and rescue operations and humanitarian aid efforts are a desperate race against time
Around 4,000 people are missing, and some 50,000 people urgently need access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene
Nepal produces just 0.1% of global emissions, yet communities are paying a devastating price as climate risks grow
The catastrophic floods in Nepal are a stark warning of what climate breakdown means for communities on the frontline, Oxfam Ireland has warned. Governments and donors must invest now in climate resilience, adaptation and disaster preparedness rather than waiting for the next disaster to strike.
A week after the devastating floods, rescuers are still scrambling to reach people cut off by destroyed roads, bridges and landslides. Oxfam and local partners are racing to deliver life-saving assistance, but the scale of the destruction is making access to some of the worst-affected areas, particularly Rasuwa, increasingly difficult.
"What we're seeing in Nepal is climate injustice in its starkest form. Families have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, yet Nepal has contributed almost nothing to the climate crisis. Alongside the immediate humanitarian response, international governments must step up investment in climate resilience and adaptation before more lives are lost. We must get ahead of this crisis rather than falling behind and failing those most vulnerable around the world. Oxfam in Nepal are reacting to urgent needs as fast as possible, but sustained funding is drastically needed in the long term."
— Jim Clarken, Oxfam Ireland CEO
Santosh Pandey, Oxfam in Nepal’s Humanitarian and Disaster Risk Management Lead, added:
“Nepal contributes just 0.1% of global emissions, yet our communities are paying a devastating price as climate risks grow. Nepal’s devastating floods should be a wake-up call for governments and donors. We cannot keep waiting for disasters to happen. In a burning world, climate shocks will become more frequent here and communities need the resources to prepare and adapt before the next disaster strikes.”
The Government of Nepal estimates that 10,000 households – around 50,000 people – require immediate access to clean water, toilets and hygiene, with thousands more in need of shelter and food.
Oxfam in Nepal launched an emergency response a day after the floods struck. It is working with local authorities and partners in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading to reach some of the worst-affected communities.
The major flash flood on August 26th was triggered by a massive glacier collapse and ice-rock avalanche that blocked the Lhende Khola, 20km north of the Rasuwagadhi checkpoint.
At least 1,000 people have been killed and 3,916 remain unaccounted for, while more than 50,000 people have been displaced or temporarily moved from their homes.
Nepal is highly exposed to floods, landslides and earthquakes. Climate change is adding further pressure through rapidly changing glaciers, snow and water systems and increasingly unpredictable extreme weather. The Himalayan region also faces growing risks from glacial floods in the years ahead.
Oxfam has deployed 200 hygiene kits and 1,000 water purification tablets to Rasuwa and distributed water, sanitation and hygiene and food assistance in other affected communities.
It is also preparing to scale up its response over the next six months, aiming to reach 2,000 households – around 10,000 people – with life-saving assistance including WASH, shelter, protection and cash support.
Oxfam warns that emergency relief alone will not protect Nepal from the next shock.
Kate Brayden, Media Officer – Oxfam Ireland kate.brayden@oxfam.org | +353 (0)87 749 7447
Oxfam has worked in Nepal since the 1980s, alongside communities and local partners to tackle inequality and deliver humanitarian and development programmes. Its work is grounded in strengthening civic space and supporting people to challenge the injustices that keep them in poverty, led by a feminist approach rooted in the Global South. Oxfam in Nepal works across three connected areas: climate and water, gender justice, and humanitarian response and disaster risk management.
Oxfam is working closely with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the Social Welfare Council and District Administration Offices to deliver relief materials to affected communities.
"What we're seeing in Nepal is climate injustice in its starkest form. Families have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, yet Nepal has contributed almost nothing to the climate crisis. Alongside the immediate humanitarian response, international governments must step up investment in climate resilience and adaptation before more lives are lost. We must get ahead of this crisis rather than falling behind and failing those most vulnerable around the world. Oxfam in Nepal are reacting to urgent needs as fast as possible, but sustained funding is drastically needed in the long term."
