Nepal-Tibet Flash Flood: 8 Ways to Pray for Families and Rescue Teams

Quick Summary: Catastrophic flash flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border has killed more than 350 people and left hundreds missing. TWR's South Asia director is calling for urgent prayer for rescue efforts, displaced families, and TWR's Nepal team.




Prayer is urgently needed in response to catastrophic flash flooding that occurred on Wednesday in Nepal's Rasuwa district, along the border between Nepal and Tibet, said Peter Jung*, international director for TWR’s South Asia Region.

More than 350 were dead as of 8:30 a.m. EST Thursday, the BBC reported, and more than 900 were missing across the region.

Initial reports suggested that an ice avalanche or landslide blocked the Lhende River, causing a massive surge of water and debris downstream, Jung said.

Among the missing were 32 security personnel from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, 60 people associated with a hydropower project, 15 customs officials and 26 bank employees, he said.

Eleven hydropower projects were damaged, and 42 kilometers (26 miles) of a road were destroyed, along with more than 20 bridges, Jung said. Bad weather and disrupted communication systems, along with the damaged infrastructure, hampered search-and-rescue efforts, he added.

“Thousands of families may need food, clean water, shelter, medical care and other urgent assistance,” Jung said.

Jung issued a call for the TWR family, partners and prayer supporters to pray.

8 Ways to Pray for Nepal's Flood Response:

1. Comfort for the families of those who died.
2. Safe recovery of those still unaccounted for.
3. Protection, strength and wisdom for search-and-rescue teams.
4. Protection from further flooding.
5. Provision of food, clean water, shelter, medical care and other necessities for displaced and affected families.
6. Effective coordination by government authorities, emergency responders and relief organizations.
7. Restoration of damaged infrastructure.
8. Protection and opportunities for TWR Nepal staff and local churches to serve those affected with compassion and practical assistance.

“Thank you for standing with Nepal in urgent prayer,” Jung said.

How to help: TWR is also putting prayer into action. If you would like to help provide emergency aid and trauma-healing programming to victims of this devastating flood, you can do so by giving to our Disaster Response Fund.

*A pseudonym.