One week after the floods. ‘They witnessed dramatic scenes’
A week after the violent floods that hit the Nepalese districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, children are showing signs of strong psychological distress, while families’ anguish about their future is growing. Save the Children declares it.
At least 1,000 people have lost their lives and over 3,900 are still missing after flood waters generated by the collapse of a mountain glacier poured into the valleys with such force that they wiped out entire villages.
In the district of Nuwakot, we read in a note, children tell Save the Children workers that they live in fear and anguish after witnessing dramatic scenes: school buses with their classmates on board dragged away by the fury of the water, submerged houses and everything they had swept away by the current.
“The need for psychological assistance continues to grow.
A week after this terrible tragedy, children and adults are still trying to process what happened, coming to terms with the enormity of the devastation and the uncertainties that weigh on their future”, said Tara Chettry, Director of Save the Children Nepal.
“Many are still separated from their loved ones and live in anguish of finding family members. Others are worried about where they will sleep at night, how they will rebuild their homes and how they will be able to earn a living. Recovery is not just about rebuilding homes and infrastructure. Children need support to process what they have experienced. Helping them recover emotionally is crucial to the recovery of the entire community,” he added.
Forecasters warned that further rainfall could hamper recovery operations in some of the affected areas, raising concerns for displaced families still living in temporary accommodation. Furthermore, heavy rains on the country’s roads have created new difficulties, including the slowdown of aid delivery in the most isolated and rural areas.
