New Delhi, August 27, 2026: The Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) has expressed deep concern over the massive and sudden floods that struck the China-Tibet-Nepal Himalayan highland Gyirong port and downstream District on August 26, causing deaths and widespread damage to lives and livelihoods.
In a statement, IMI President and former IAS officer Ramesh Negi( Ex- Chief Secretary Arunachal Pradesh).conveyed condolences and solidarity with the people of Nepal and the Himalayan communities affected by the disaster. The organisation also expressed concern over the ecological devastation caused by the floods.
IMI said the disaster must also be viewed against the backdrop of the wider climate crisis, which is disproportionately affecting Himalayan communities despite their relatively low contribution to global emissions.
It noted that the latest disaster is not an isolated event, pointing to the growing frequency and scale of disasters across the Himalayan region in recent years.
The organisation called for a fundamental rethink of development pathways in the Himalaya, stressing that disaster-related “loss and damage” needs to be assessed through a broader socio-ecological lens that also takes into account recovery and long-term resilience.
IMI further called on the global community to respond to climate science with commitments matching the urgency and scale of the crisis. It emphasised the need for coordinated regional and local action, along with transboundary cooperation, while recognising the rights and concerns of mountain communities.
As Nepal confronts the immediate humanitarian challenge, IMI appealed to the global and regional community to extend support not only for immediate relief and rehabilitation but also for long-term resilience-building in the Himalayan region.
The organisation offered prayers for those who lost their lives, wished the injured a speedy recovery and expressed solidarity with families who have lost their loved ones.
#NepalFloods #HimalayanDisaster #ClimateChange #MountainResilience
