ASIA/NEPAL – Devastating Floods, Father Bogati: “The worst disaster in the Country’s history”

Kathmandu – “It is the worst disaster in the country’s history. It was terrible. A flood coming down from the mountains and rushing violently downstream swept everything away: people, homes, bridges and infrastructure. Villages, markets and roads have been wiped out. It is a deep wound for the nation,” this is what Father Silas Bogati, Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of Nepal, told Fides, following the floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border area yesterday, August 26.
The devastating floods were triggered by a “glacial collapse,” with the collapse of ice and rocks in the Himalayas. The debris temporarily blocked the Bhote Koshi River, forming a natural dam that subsequently burst, unleashing a violent surge of mud, water and debris downstream. The torrent swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and reached areas farther downstream, including Chitwan. On the Chinese side, the flood struck Gyirong County in Tibet, including the Gyirong Port border area. Experts clarified that the seismic signal initially detected was not caused by an earthquake, but by the glacial collapse and the resulting debris flow.
“We are shocked. We are praying for all those who are missing and for those who have died. My heart is with those who are suffering because of this catastrophe. There are around 25 Catholic families in the disaster area. They appear to be safe, but we are very concerned about them. We entrust them to God, pray for their safety and will do everything we can to help them,” said the head of the small local Catholic community.
He also reported that “a priest of the Vicariate, Father James Britto, had gone to celebrate Mass on the other side of the river and was stranded: the bridge was swept away.”
According to official figures, the initial death toll stands at 165 confirmed fatalities in Nepal and three in Tibet, but Nepalese authorities expect the number to rise as search operations continue. Nearly 1,500 people are missing across Nepal and Tibet, including almost 800 foreign foreigners.
“There are Nepalese people, but also foreigners and tourists who were in these areas for an excursion,” Father Bogati noted. “It is a pilgrimage route toward Mansarovar, a sacred Hindu site that is also a destination for hikers and trekkers.”
“The government has mobilized its emergency response system, declared a state of emergency, is providing free medical care and has begun evacuating people who remain stranded to safe areas,” the priest said. “This is the second time that a disaster of this kind has occurred in the area, but this time it is of enormous proportions.”
Father Bogati also said that “Caritas, our small organization, will step in and appeal to partners around the world. We will do our part,” he assured.
Catholic Relief Services , a U.S.-based Catholic humanitarian organization, has already begun providing assistance, including essential supplies and sanitation services. Other aid organizations linked to Protestant churches have launched initial humanitarian operations, distributing food packages, first-aid kits and tents in the affected areas.
The Catholic community in Nepal numbers nearly 9,400 faithful. With 13 parishes—four in the capital, Kathmandu, and nine elsewhere in the country—it is engaged in educational, social and pastoral ministry throughout Nepal.

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