WASHINGTON, August 28 — A U.S. Catholic bishop urged the international community to expand humanitarian aid for Nepal on August 28, 2026, following flash floods and mudslides that killed more than 580 people and left over 1,900 missing along the Nepal-China border. The disaster struck after a glacial collapse in Langtang National Park triggered a 5.2 magnitude event at 8:30 a.m. on August 26, sending debris more than 60 miles down the Trishuli and Bhote Koshi Rivers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Bishop A.
Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, called for greater support in a statement released August 27. “I offer the prayers and solidarity of the Catholic community in the United States for our brothers and sisters impacted by this disaster,” he said, adding that Catholic Relief Services is “closely monitoring the emergency” and coordinating with Caritas Nepal and local partners.
Caritas emergency aid coordinator Raju Pradhan told German Catholic news outlet KNA that “the extent of the destruction” was “almost beyond comprehension,” noting that 400 homes were destroyed in one town alone. Pradhan warned that secondary flooding remained a risk as rainfall continued, and stressed that long-term relief would require significant funding, which “we don’t have at the moment.” CRS has launched an emergency relief fund, accepting donations through online platforms, phone, and mail, and praised the U.S. Department of State for deploying personnel to monitor the situation.
Bishop Zaidan invoked Mary’s Immaculate Heart to “provide consolation and shelter” to those affected and called on the international community to act “as one family” to rebuild homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure. He also expressed gratitude for U.S. government support of CRS’s work and highlighted ongoing efforts to assess urgent needs in Nepal’s flood-affected regions.
