WCC Pastoral Letter to the People, Communities, and Churches of Nepal

WCC Pastoral Letter to the People, Communities, and Churches of Nepal

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Fri, 08/28/2026 - 16:06

Geneva, 28 August 2026

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Grace and peace to you from God our Creator and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who draws near to all who suffer.

It is with profound sorrow that the World Council of Churches has learned of the catastrophic flash flood that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on 26 August 2026, after a glacial and rock collapse high in the Himalaya sent a wall of mud, ice, and water crashing down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river valleys into Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, and neighbouring districts. We have followed the reports with shock and sadness: several hundred people have died, with the toll still rising, and close to a thousand more - residents, security personnel, hydropower and border workers, and hundreds of foreign pilgrims and travellers from many nations - remain missing or unaccounted for. Many more have been injured, displaced, or have lost their homes, land, and livelihoods. Whole villages, bridges, roads, and places of pilgrimage have been swept away in a matter of minutes. Our hearts are heavy, and we…