The London-based Pashupatinath Temple Management Committee has donated Rs 5 million to Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to aid victims of recent devastating floods. The committee’s Vice-President, Tara Bhattarai, led the collection of the funds, which were handed over to Bipin Duwadi, the Acting Nepali Ambassador to the UK.
Romnath Pandey, President of the temple management committee, stated that the collected amount was deposited into the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund through the Nepali Embassy. Duwadi acknowledged the significant support and goodwill shown by the Nepali diaspora towards their homeland during times of disaster, emphasizing the importance of such contributions for the relief and rehabilitation of flood and landslide-affected citizens.
Bhattarai explained that the funds were gathered from donations made by Nepali and foreign devotees during the Janai Purnima, Krishna Janmashtami, and Haritalika Teej festivals. Established 23 years ago, this marks the first time the London-based Pashupatinath Temple has provided financial assistance for flood victims in Nepal. The committee regularly conducts religious and social activities with the support of the Nepali community and devotees in the UK.
Nepal has recently faced severe flooding, including a devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Bhadra 10, 2083, which caused extensive damage and casualties. This particular flood was attributed to risks arising from glacial lakes and rivers. According to a Reuters report on Saturday, October 3, 2026, over 1,400 people have died and 5,285 are missing in the recent devastating floods in Nepal, with an additional 43 deaths and 519 missing reported in China. Earlier data indicated that the Bhadra 10, 2083 flood in Nepal confirmed at least 939 deaths and 3,925 missing, with 16 deaths and 546 missing in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. Separately, continuous rainfall, floods, and landslides across Nepal had resulted in 12 deaths and seven missing by Ashwin 11, 2083, with the toll rising to 35 deaths by Ashwin 13, 2083, since Ashwin 8.
Government and Relief Efforts
The Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, which operates under the 2063 Regulations, manages and distributes funds to provide relief and assistance to affected families during disasters. As of Ashwin 13, 2083, the fund held Rs 10.89 billion across nine banks and $23.9 million in two dollar accounts, totaling a balance of Rs 14.56 billion.
From this fund, Rs 1 billion has already been disbursed through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Nepal’s disaster management body, to aid victims of the Bhotekoshi River flood in Rasuwa. The government has also decided to provide monthly financial assistance to flood-affected families in Rasuwa, offering Rs 15,000 per month for families with up to four members, plus an additional Rs 2,000 for each extra member.
International and local entities have also contributed to the fund. Honda provided $100,000 in financial aid for relief and rehabilitation efforts following the Bhadra 10, 2083 floods, while Vianet Communications Limited donated Rs 2 million. The Insurance Authority, on Ashwin 29, 2083, introduced a “Brief Procedure for Rasuwa Flood Claim Payment, 2083,” allowing insurance companies to settle claims up to Rs 500,000 without a surveyor.
Future Outlook and Unanswered Questions
Under Prime Minister Balen Shah’s leadership, the government plans to initiate detailed studies and designs for glacial lakes such as Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tso, and Hongu-2 in the current fiscal year to mitigate future flood risks. The government has also decided to advance “search and recovery” operations in the Bhotekoshi flood-affected areas of Rasuwa. Extensive forensic testing is underway to identify the remains of flood victims, with 3,685 forensic samples undergoing DNA testing in two forensic science laboratories.
Immediate relief measures include Rs 200,000 for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for displaced individuals for temporary housing construction.
While a task force formed by the National Planning Commission has outlined an initial requirement of Rs 7.23 billion for reconstruction in flood-affected areas, further details on how this budget will be managed are not yet available. The full extent of damage to power infrastructure in the affected regions will become clearer after on-site inspections and repairs are completed.
