Caritas Nepal has begun distributing relief and operating community kitchens as authorities warn of a second flood following the deadliest natural disaster in Nepal’s recorded history.
Authorities are warning of a second flood after Wednesday’s devastating deluge on the Nepal-China border, which left more than 1,500 people missing, many presumed dead.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a lake at the flood site was rising and at risk of bursting, raising the prospect of another deadly disaster.
China’s Minister of Water Resources said the lake had formed inside Nepal and was already overflowing. A further 3 million cubic meters could flow in over three days, the ministry said, raising the risk of a breach during that window to a high level. Rain is forecast across the coming days.
Catholic relief agencies immediately responded to the unfolding disaster, linking their efforts to the urgent needs created by the floods.
Caritas Nepal said it had mobilized teams and begun operating community kitchens in areas where people lost their homes, while also distributing immediate relief supplies. Some Catholics who had been working in tourist areas remain unaccounted for, the agency said.
Catholic Relief Services launched an emergency appeal, saying
