Nepalese students residing in Hamilton are closely monitoring the distressing reports of severe flooding in their homeland, expressing deep concern about providing assistance from a great distance. A sudden flood at the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday has left nearly 2,000 individuals missing as of Friday, including 32 Canadian citizens and permanent residents, as stated by Canada’s foreign affairs minister Anita Anand. Anand disclosed in a press briefing on Friday that the local authorities had recovered 579 bodies in the affected region thus far.
In response to the ongoing search efforts, students from Nepal at McMaster University in Hamilton have initiated a fundraising campaign and are actively sharing information online. Kusum Bhatta, the president of the McMaster Graduate Students Association and CUPE Local 3906, currently pursuing a PhD in social work, is a Nepal native who relocated to Canada in 2019. Witnessing the flood videos circulating on social media since Wednesday morning, Bhatta and her peers immediately reached out to their families back home. The escalating devastation became apparent throughout the day, with reports of significant damage.
While Bhatta confirmed the safety of her immediate family, she highlighted the distressing situation faced by friends and acquaintances, many of whom are missing or injured. In response, Bhatta launched a GoFundMe campaign, collecting approximately $1,395 by Friday evening for the Nepal Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund.
The flooding tragedy hits close to home for Raunak Pandey, a third-year chemical engineering PhD candidate at McMaster and the vice-president external of the graduate student association. Having arrived in Canada in 2023, Pandey expressed personal concern as a friend from his undergraduate studies was trekking solo in the affected area during the disaster and has since been unaccounted for. Additionally, he shared the worry over the son of a family friend who remains missing.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath expressed profound empathy for the affected communities, acknowledging the distressing situation faced by many awaiting news of their loved ones. The Canadian government has pledged $5 million in emergency aid to Nepal, recognizing the significant humanitarian crisis and extensive damage.
As rescue operations persist amidst challenging conditions, the true extent of the catastrophe continues to unfold. The distance from the disaster poses a unique challenge for students in Hamilton with family in the affected regions, leaving them feeling helpless. Noting the increase in severe weather events in Nepal, Bhatta emphasized the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, including the devastating 2015 earthquake.
Both Bhatta and Pandey underscored the role of climate change in exacerbating such calamities. While Nepal has made efforts to invest in renewable energy and forest conservation, they emphasized the need for enhanced research and resources to bolster community resilience against sudden flooding. They also stressed the importance of global solidarity in combating the impacts of climate change, urging greater awareness and cooperation to address these challenges proactively.