Some Nepal villages so devastated, you’d think they never existed, says Malaysian relief volunteer

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Some villages in Nepal have been so completely devastated by the floods that there is no sign they ever existed, according to Malaysian relief volunteers who have seen the destruction first-hand.

Mercy Malaysia Rapid Assessment Team leader Vivegananthan Rajangam said some settlements along the rivers were left without a single house after the floods tore through Benighat, Nuwakot and Bidur.

“The damage is very severe. In some villages, there isn’t even one house left. If someone went there for the first time, they would think there was no village there,” he told Harian Metro today.

“In many places hit by the floods along the river, nobody lives there anymore. In some places, there is no trace of any houses at all.”

Even concrete buildings were not spared, with only about 20 per cent of such structures still standing in some settlements, he said.

“Most of these concrete buildings were also swept away,” Vivegananthan recounted.

Accumulated sludge lines the Trishuli riverbank after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal’s Nuwakot district on September 5, 2026, as survivors struggle to rebuild homes destroyed by the disaster. — AFP pic

Survivors have since been moved away from the worst-hit areas, with many evacuated to Kathmandu and Nuwakot and housed in schools and halls on higher ground.

Vivegananthan said the Nepali authorities had also set up temporary shelters for those who survived the floods.

In Nuwakot alone, 19 such shelters have been established, he said.

Based on discussions with local authorities and assessments on the ground, food supplies at the shelters were adequate, but survivors needed other forms of assistance.

Mercy Malaysia’s three-member team will remain in Nepal for about 10 days to assess how best to support those who survived the disaster.

Mercy Malaysia’s Rapid Assessment Team assesses the extent of the flood devastation and health needs in Trishuli Dhunge Bazar, Bidur, as relief efforts continue in Nepal. — Picture from Facebook/MERCY Malaysia

Vivegananthan stressed that the team was not involved in search and rescue operations but was focused on helping survivors rebuild their lives.

“We are not involved in search and rescue. We are here to help those who survived,” he said.

Among the assistance provided are medicines, cooking equipment and toys for children, which are being channelled through Nepali authorities, including the country’s Health Ministry.

“The assistance we provide is aimed at helping them continue their lives as best as possible so they can return to normal,” Vivegananthan said.