How to help survivors after catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet
Rescue personnel carry a person affected by flash floods at Devghat in Nepal's Nuwakot district on August 26, 2026. Massive flooding killed eight people in Nepal on August 26, as Chinese state media reported "major casualties" from a mudslide at a T
Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to support survivors as rescue teams search for hundreds of people missing after catastrophic floods near the Nepal-China border.
Hundreds are dead or missing after a deadly torrent of water and mud several stories high swept through communities Wednesday following a glacier collapse.
The Nepalese army has been using helicopters to rescue people because so many roads and bridges have been washed out.
What they're saying:
Dan Hovey, vice president of emergency response at Direct Relief, which provides medicines and healthcare to disaster-struck areas, said his organization had already pre-positioned emergency supplies in Nepal for the upcoming monsoon season. That preparation has enabled Direct Relief to help quickly during these unexpected floods.
RELATED: Netflix documentary star Nirmal Purja among 10 climbers confirmed dead after Pakistan avalanche
"Nepal is a very disaster-prone country," he said. "On the disaster vulnerability indexes, it’s one of the highest – from earthquakes, floods, drought, wildfires."
Nepal Flood: 538 dead, 1,500 missing
Nepal police said Friday morning that the country’s death toll had risen to 53 from 390 a day earlier with 1,500 people missing including 90 Americans.
Big picture view:
In addition to the medicines and supplies already in Nepal, Direct Relief was readying more shipments to send to Nepal Thursday, said Hovey, adding that new donations would allow the nonprofit to provide more support in the months to come.
"This is going to be a long recovery process," Hovey said.
Responding organizations say giving cash is currently most needed to provide local agencies and nonprofits flexible funding to continue their relief efforts.
Here are some organizations aiding those on the Nepal-China border, including U.S. groups responding on the ground.
Urgent relief efforts underway after Nepal flooding disaster
At least 350 people died and 1,000 are still missing after a flooding disaster in Nepal. A glacier collapse is believed to be the cause. Tommaso Della Longa of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies details the relief efforts.
How you can help victims
What you can do:
All Hands & Hearts, the disaster recovery nonprofit, says it is currently providing emergency relief in Nepal, where it has worked since 2015 and plans to continue its work of rebuilding schools and homes.
Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency, has partnered with Caritas Nepal to provide aid and social services, while also working to deploy its own teams to help relief efforts.
Global Giving, the support nonprofit, has launched the Nepal Flood Relief Fund that it hopes will raise $1.5 million to provide flexible funding for search and rescue efforts and other emergency responses, as well as infrastructure rebuilding and other recovery projects.
RELATED: Two helicopter pilots killed in crash while battling Utah wildfire
Humanity & Inclusion, the international victim assistance nonprofit, says it is already distributing emergency supplies and providing rehabilitation support inside local hospitals.
Save the Children, the international nonprofit, says it is already delivering cooking kits, mosquito nets and blankets to 1,000 households in the region and coordinating with national and local authorities to determine how to scale its response.
World Central Kitchen, Chef Jose Andres’ humanitarian nonprofit, says it is already feeding those in the region through its local partners. It plans to activate its distribution network to bring more food to the affected area.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. Information for this story came from reports by The Associated Press and statements from humanitarian organizations including Direct Relief, All Hands & Hearts, Catholic Relief Services, GlobalGiving, Humanity & Inclusion, Save the Children and World Central Kitchen. This story was reported from Los Angeles.