Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) announced that it has extended help to 33 families of tourism workers and drivers affected by the Bhotekoshi flash flood, prioritising families of those who lost their lives and are still missing.The release of the second round of relief was held at its premise in Kathmandu, supported by Himalayan Development Foundation (HDF), Colorado, USA.
The second phase of the relief distribution was conducted at the NNMGA office in Kathmandu with financial support from the Himalayan Development Foundation (HDF), Colorado, USA.The aid was mainly given to the dependent families of jeep drivers, who used to ferry tourists, from Kathmandu, and other parts of Nepal, towards the Nepal China border for the Kailash and Manasarovar expedition.
Relief Given to Families Not Covered in Local Lists
The relief program came after NNMGA learned about the plight of tourism workers, whose families were facing dire financial situation following the flood. It was reported that several drivers, who used to work in the area, hailed from outside Rasuwa and Nuwakot, hence not included in initial local relief lists. Especially difficult it has been for the families who lost their breadwinners or are yet to find their missing family members.
Women and children, who are family members of the affected jeep drivers, are now facing an immediate financial crisis. Besides, many children from affected families are at risk of dropping out of school, since they could not pay the required fees. NNMGA reported that the cash relief was given to these families as an immediate relief for their basic needs, representing the difficulties that the affected workers would have to face in the long term.
NNMGA Participated in Search and Rescue Operation
NNMGA shared that its involvement started just after Bhotekoshi flash flood in Rasuwa, where its members participated in search and rescue operations in the affected areas. NNMGA members volunteered to enter about 100 metres into Chilime Hydropower Company tunnel to look for any survivors and the bodies of those who perished during the flood.
The association later received an invitation from Himalayan Development Foundation (HDF) to provide relief to the people from Timure lying in various gumbas in Kathmandu. It was only after the request from Chhiring Finjo Lopchan, a permanent resident of Timure, that with coordination from Chhiring Finjo Lopchan (Finjo),NNMGA members redirected their remaining resources to tourism workers and drivers, whose families were not covered by many relief organisations.
Drivers of Kailash Manasarovar Tourists Affected
A significant focus of the relief effort has been on drivers who served tourists travelling toward the Kailash Manasarovar route and were present in areas including Timure and Syabrubesi when the flood struck. NNMGA said field-level information and coordination helped identify 33 affected families requiring immediate assistance.
The case highlights the wider impact of disasters on tourism workers whose livelihoods depend on travel corridors and seasonal visitor movement. Drivers serving pilgrimage and tourism routes play an important role in transporting visitors through remote areas, while their families can face prolonged financial difficulties when those workers are killed or go missing during disasters.
Association Appeals For Children’s Education Support
NNMGA reported that the situation of the affected families is far from over, with the future of the children of the deceased and affected workers being the association’s utmost concern. It asked its friends, families, colleagues, supporters and followers to assist the children of the affected drivers to continue their education. The association reiterated that its primary responsibility is to operate IFMGA standard mountain guide courses and professional mountaineering training in Nepal.
However, NNMGA added that the gravity of the situation prompted it to stretch its hand to help the affected colleagues and their families as much as it could. NNMGA hoped that its relief effort, however small, would bring immediate relief to the affected families. It further urged people to support the affected workers and their families so that the children can continue to study and the workers can resume their work. Even a token contribution, the association added, would go a long way in helping the affected children to continue their studies and provide some form of security to the affected families.
