Ashtead Rotary Club Supports Nepal Flood Recovery with £2,000 Donation
Ashtead Rotary Club has donated £2,000 from its Disaster Fund to support recovery and rebuilding efforts in Nepal following devastating flash floods that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
The donation has been made through Rotary's Disaster Relief Fund, enabling the Club to contribute to the coordinated international response being led by Rotary in support of the Nepalese authorities.
Reporting on the donation, Ashtead Rotarian Achim Vogt, a member of the Club's International Committee, explained that the Club had chosen to direct £2,000 from its Disaster Fund to Rotary's Disaster Relief Fund in order to support long-term recovery and reconstruction work in the affected areas.
"The community of Ashtead, through the Rotary Club, is helping to alleviate suffering in Nepal following this terrible disaster. We are pleased to be able to make a contribution through Rotary's Disaster Relief Fund, and particularly pleased that Rotary's international network is in a position to direct funds precisely where they are most needed. This helps ensure that our donation can make the greatest possible difference to those affected," said Achim.
The floods struck northern Nepal on 26 August, causing extensive damage across the mountainous Rasuwa district near the Tibet border. Homes, roads, bridges and communications infrastructure were swept away as powerful flood waters surged down river valleys, leaving many communities isolated and difficult to reach.
According to information provided through Rotary's international network, the disaster is believed to have been triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. Mud, ice and rock entered the Bhote Koshi River system, creating destructive torrents that travelled downstream through communities in both Nepal and Tibet.
Several villages were among the areas most severely affected, with reports indicating that some settlements were almost entirely destroyed. More than 350 people have reportedly lost their lives and over 900 remain missing as rescue and recovery efforts continue. Thousands of families are believed to have lost their homes or suffered severe damage to their properties.
The Government of Nepal is leading the national disaster response, while Rotary is supporting those efforts through its international network of clubs, districts and humanitarian partners. Rotary clubs around the world are helping to mobilise resources, funding and expertise to meet verified local needs and support longer-term recovery projects.
Search and rescue teams, supported by army and police personnel, continue to work in challenging conditions. Helicopters are being used to locate survivors and deliver emergency supplies, but damaged roads, destroyed bridges and difficult mountain terrain have complicated access to affected communities.
Ashtead Rotary Club's donation will help support recovery initiatives and provide assistance to those whose lives have been devastated by the disaster. The Club's contribution reflects Rotary's enduring commitment to international service and to helping communities rebuild after major humanitarian emergencies.
Through its support of Rotary's Disaster Relief Fund, Ashtead Rotary Club is joining Rotary members worldwide in demonstrating compassion, solidarity and practical assistance for the people of Nepal as they begin the long process of rebuilding their communities.
For further information about Rotary's international disaster relief work, visit the Rotary Foundation or contact Ashtead Rotary Club at www.ashteadrotary.co.uk
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