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A man in a red coat walking a street of damaged buildings, mud and timber piled against them.

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Flood relief, September 2026

A flood update from Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas

Kelvin Kent's update on the August 26 flood, from Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas.

Education Elevated 3 min read

An update on the August 26 flood from Kelvin Kent, board member of Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas and a member of our Advisory Committee, first published on himalayanfriends.com.

As at September 20th 2026. . If you are visiting this website you will no doubt be aware of the terrible catastrophe that struck portions of Nepal on August 26th, A large avalanche and landslide of rock, ice and snow triggered a collapse of a dam and glacial lake, close to the Tibetan border in the Langtang region. Over 50 million metric tons of material hurtled down 6000 feet of mountainside at 100 mph. This created as much energy as the Hiroshima atom bomb. Rivers downstream rose up to 70 feet, 32 bridges were obliterated, whole towns and villages were wiped out, nine hydro electric power stations were destroyed and roads became severely damaged or undriveable. Our latest stats show that 13,784 people have been rescued, 1,411 bodies have been recovered, 5,875 are still unaccounted for and approximately 50,000 have been made homeless, with 1,342 now located in temporary holding shelters. 636 foreign tourists are still missing and several hundred workers in the flooded tunnels connected with the hydro -electric plants are still trapped. 45,000 acres of farmland is inundated and covered with many feet of mud. Livestock and pets have suffered tremendously. 62 miles of river and adjacent lands, properties, roads, power and infrastructure has been totally or partially affected. The damage is immense, with most assistance and supplies having to be flown in by helicopters. So far, 2,012 helicopter flights have been made. 21,000 Nepalese security personnel have been deployed plus Chinese, Indian and other foreign aid assistance.

Currently the emphasis is focussed on burying the dead, searching for survivors, DNA analysis, providing clean water and clothing, temporary shelter, medical aid, and toilet/shower facilities. Road and bridge building plus utilty repairs is underway but will take a long time. Re-building of homes and businesses lost will take years.

Along with many international and other not-for-profits, we are stepping up with immediate financial assistance. Already, $8,000 has been sent and we are appealing, now, for more donations, with a goal of raising a further $15,000 to supplement our present funds so that we can further assess the needs and steer our contributions to specific entities that we trust to be honest, accountable and capable. Obviously, this need has to be addressed immediately. Our funds (apart from Shelter Box) are all going to our own partners on the ground and trusted individuals and smaller organizations, who operate with very low overhead.

To donate, please just send a check to: Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas, PO Box 2022, Montrose, Colorado, 81402. All monies received will be acknowledged with a formal 501(c)3 receipt immediately and we pledge to use your contribution wisely and effectively.

If you have any questions, I will be pleased to answer them.

Kelvin Kent (board member) 970 209 1395.

These images give you an idea of the scale of disaster.

A town on the river before and after the flood, the valley floor buried in mud and debris.
An aerial view of a riverside town with its streets and houses buried in grey mud.
A man in a red coat walking a street of damaged buildings, mud and timber piled against them.
An annotated aerial photo of the valley showing the path the flood took down from the mountains.

In 2015, we teamed up with mountaineering icon, Pasang Lhamu Akita Sherpa (National Geographic Adventurer of the year) to provide vital supplies to the victims of the devastating earthquake. Now, in 2026, we are doing this again with her and her organization, to deliver family and children’s packs direct to the army who will fly them in in helicopters to the most stricken areas.

Financial help is already on its way with more promised

Volunteers handing out bags of relief supplies to families.
A post from Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita thanking Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas for their support.
Rescue workers in protective suits and an excavator searching through the mud.
Houses torn open by the flood, a man carrying belongings through the debris.
Family and children's relief packs laid out on a floor, ready to be flown in.
Shelter Box supplies en.route to destination

More images to follow showing our work on the ground

Read the update on Western Colorado Friends of the Himalayas.

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