Caritas manages 919 deaths and feeds thousands after floods in Nepal

The official death toll from the flood, provided by authorities, has risen to 919, and 4,793 people are still missing. More than 930 hydroelectric workers remain nowhere to be found, LiCAS News reported. Many are feared to be trapped in hydropower tunnels along the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system.

In a situation report shared with EWTN News on August 30, Caritas Nepal President Father Silas Krishna Bogati confirmed that the Catholic Church’s response is fully operational. Emergency shelters and hygiene kits reached more than 1,000 homes. A cash assistance payment of 15,000 Nepalese rupees (about US$110) is being distributed to 750 of the most affected families.

The priest, who also serves as the apostolic administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, added that more than 50 community kitchens operate daily to feed 300 families.

The full scale of the destruction has not yet been accounted for. Reuters reported that the flood destroyed 19 bridges, roads and other crucial infrastructure, hampering emergency aid and the search for survivors.

As rescue operations, backed by China and India, continue amid the risk of landslides and more flooding, aid workers are already signaling a second imminent emergency: winter. Displaced families sheltering in high-altitude areas will need thermal equipment and winter-proof shelters within weeks, Bogati shared with EWTN News.

The Nepal Red Cross has formally requested Caritas Nepal to provide more than 1,000 body bags, with decomposition already becoming a public health concern, the Caritas Nepal president wrote.

To prevent future catastrophes, Nepal and China are expected to improve communication on real-time data on glaciers, avalanche risks and water levels.

International aid and support commitments exceed $200 million, with commitments from the United States, Europe, Canada and the World Bank.

Pope Leo XIV prayed again on Sunday for the flood victims. “Let’s pray for those who lost their lives, for the injured, for the missing, for the families and for the first responders,” he said. “May everyone’s concern help alleviate suffering and provide much-needed help to those affected.”

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the U.S. bishops called for international mobilization and “long-term efforts to help affected communities rebuild their homes, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.”

©2026 Catholic News Agency. Published with permission. Original in English: Nepal flood: Caritas runs community kitchens, sources body bags as toll reaches 919 https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/asia-pacific/nepal-flood-caritas-runs-community-kitchens-sources-body-bags-as-toll-reaches-919