World Vision responds to devastating Nepali floods as ‘monsoon’ snow traps hundreds of trekkers in Everest region 

KATHMANDU, 6 October 2025 — Torrential rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides across Nepal, killing at least 51 people and displacing thousands, while just across the border in China’s Everest region, a sudden snowstorm has trapped hundreds of trekkers at high altitude, prompting a massive rescue operation.  

World Vision is responding urgently to the crisis in Nepal, where entire villages have been flooded, houses washed away, roads blocked, and schools destroyed. In the eastern district of Ilam, 37 people were killed in separate landslides. The floods and landslides have severely impacted children, with thousands now without shelter, clean water, or access to education. More than 50 districts across the country have been affected.  
  
In some areas, this is the second year in a row that families have faced devastating floods, compounding the trauma for children who are once again losing their homes and all their belongings. The repeated disaster is taking a deep emotional and physical toll, especially on those who were only beginning to rebuild their lives from last year’s flood. 
  
Meanwhile, on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, an early-season blizzard caught hundreds of hikers off-guard. So far, 350 hikers have reportedly reached safety, while contact has been made with another 200 still stranded at over 16,000 feet, with one person having perished. The unprecedented October snowstorm crushed tents and posed serious risks of hypothermia. Rescue teams are working to bring the remaining trekkers down safely.  

World Vision International Nepal says these twin disasters are part of a growing pattern of extreme weather linked to climate change. The monsoon would normally be over by October.  
The warming atmosphere caused by climate change is now holding more moisture and intensifying rainfall events. After causing chaos in Nepal, this moisture-laden air had moved across the Himalayas into China, where it collided with colder air masses, triggering heavy snowfall. The result: simultaneous flooding and snowstorms in one of the world’s most fragile mountain regions.    

World Vision is not only responding to immediate needs in Nepal but also working to strengthen community resilience to climate-related disasters through its climate-resilient communities programming. Families are encouraged to adopt flood-resistant farming techniques, restore degraded land, and build early warning communication systems.    

“We are deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing of children affected by these floods,” said Roslyn Hanson Gabriel, Country Director of World Vision International Nepal. “Many have lost their homes, their schools, and their sense of security. Our teams are working tirelessly to ensure children have access to clean water, food, and safe spaces. But the scale of this double-country disaster is a warning that climate change is already rapidly changing weather patterns in the region, which will impact millions of children born today.”  
 
World Vision is calling for international support to invest in long-term resilience for vulnerable communities and continue to hold onto international commitments to reduce atmospheric carbon.    

ENDS.  
  
Notes to Editor:  
  
For further information or to organise an interview, please contact:  
  
Uman Thapa, Communication Manager, World Vision Nepal  
Office phone number: +977 1 5970877 | Mobile: +977 9851203324    
  
Email: uma_thapa@wvi.org  
  
Spokesperson interviews available after 9am Nepal Time (NPT):  
  
Roslyn Gabriel, National Director World Vision International, Nepal  
Email: roslyn_gabriel@wvi.org  
For more information or to support the response, visit www.wvi.org/nepal. 
 
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit wvi.org or follow us on X @WorldVision.