Nepalese community leads appeal for flood victims

Organisations in a city have raised about £16,000 for Nepal following flooding last month near the Nepal-Tibet border.

"Some [in Nepal] have lost everything they had, not just their land and homes, but family members too," said Kris, the BBC has agreed not to include his surname, a businessman of Nepali origin from Peterborough.

More than 1,300 people have died and thousands remain missing after a flash floods swept through Nepalese border villages on 26 August.

Kris, who runs the Kathmandu Lounge in Peterborough, said his parents and sisters who live in Kathmandu were safe, but Nepali families living locally remained "deeply concerned" for their loved ones.

The Peterborough Nepalese Society, which supports about 300 families across Peterborough, Huntingdon and parts of Lincolnshire, has helped to raise funds and said it was working with Nepal's UK embassy to send money to the worst-hit areas.

Bishnu Bahadur Thapa, the organisation's president, said many local families had been left devastated by the news of relatives missing in the floods.

"My wife's 27-year-old cousin had taken tourists into the Himalayan region and he is still missing," he said.

"Many families here have told us their homes, land and everything they owned in Nepal has been lost."

Thapa said relatives living in mountainous areas described the flooding as sudden and unexpected.

"They told us there was nowhere to run. The devastation has been unimaginable," he added.

Kris said recovery from the disaster would take years, but every contribution could help those affected.

"When I heard the news, I was shocked. I was very worried," he said.

"I didn't know how bad the situation was. I couldn't sleep for a few nights because I was so concerned. After seeing the scale of the devastation, I decided to launch a fundraiser."

About £16,000 has been raised so far through fundraising efforts organised by Kris, the Peterborough Nepalese Society and other community groups in the city.

Thapa said the society was grateful for the support it had received from people across Peterborough and the government, which has pledged £5m for humanitarian relief support.

"We would like to thank everyone who has donated, including people from many different communities in Peterborough," Thapa said.

"All the money we raise will be sent through the embassy to Nepal's prime minister's relief fund. Every donation will make a difference," he added.

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