Cáritas international network issued an urgent appeal for solidarity with Nepal, denouncing the consequences of devastating floods that killed more than a thousand people in the Asian country. The collapse of a glacial dam in the Bhote Koshi river system caused 1,114 dead and 3,916 missing, according to a provisional toll from emergency management authorities, while in China's Tibet region, 16 dead and 546 missing were recorded.
Cáritas Secretary-General Alistair Dutton stressed that many nations have historically prospered through carbon-based systems and demanded that major powers take responsibility for global climate chaos and damage, warning that humanity has a collective duty to protect our common home.
The executive director of Cáritas Nepal, Sister Cecilia Durga Shrestha, recalled that Himalayan communities face extreme dangers in a territory that contributes less than 0.1% to global greenhouse gas emissions. The humanitarian organization is on the ground distributing essential supplies through approximately 50 community kitchens in the most affected areas of Rasuwa district.
The coordinator of the Disaster Management Department of Cáritas Nepal, Arpana Karki, warned that food supplies are running out among host families sheltering thousands of displaced people. Heavy rains and the destruction of road infrastructure are blocking rescue teams' access to dozens of localities. Cáritas also identified 56 orphaned children living in overcrowded shelters and proposed the creation of temporary learning spaces during the reconstruction process.
