About 1222 people died and 4875 people are missing due to a flash flood that inundated the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli valley in Nepal on 26 August 2026. Preliminary assessments suggest that a large glacier collapse triggered the avalanche, temporarily blocking the river before a massive surge flowed downhill. The wall of ice, water, mud and rock tore through communities destroying houses, markets and dams, sweeping away villagers, tourists and animals and submerging large swathes along the river. It came with terrifying speed, hardly giving people any time to move to safer places.

This is considered the deadliest climate disaster to strike this stretch of the Himalaya in a generation. The people of Nepal are suffering some of the worst impacts of climate change, for which, they are not responsible.

We express our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and pray for the safe return of those who are missing. We pray to God to give strength to the bereaved families to sail through this turbulent time.

Based on requests from Nepal colleagues, we appeal to the international community to:

1. support the people of Nepal in this emergency situation and we call on the United Nations General Assembly to Formally declare it as a Global Climate Emergency; and
2. Establish a UN Decade of Climate Emergency Action, recognizing climate change as an existential threat to humanity, ecosystems, peace, sustainable development and human rights.