The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) is deeply saddened by the devastating floods that struck communities in Nepal and China on August 26, 2026, taking many lives, leaving people missing and injured, and destroying homes, livelihoods, and vital infrastructure.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one. Our thoughts are with those awaiting news of family and friends, and we sincerely wish the injured a swift recovery. We stand in solidarity with all affected communities and express our deep respect for the emergency personnel, volunteers, authorities and humanitarian organizations responding under extraordinarily difficult conditions.
This tragedy is a painful reminder of the growing risks facing the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Recent events point to an increase in the frequency and scale of floods and other cascading cryosphere-related hazards, whose consequences extend across borders and river basins. In a spirit of shared responsibility, we sincerely hope that governments, regional institutions, researchers, communities, and development partners will come together to deepen their cooperation. Greater support for multi-hazard early-warning systems, timely cross-border information sharing, community preparedness and sustained investment in disaster-risk reduction could help save lives and protect livelihoods.
Through our initiative “The Third Pole Project: Glacier to Ocean,” we are working with regional partners to raise awareness, strengthen resilience, and foster international cooperation. This tragedy strengthens our resolve, and we hope it will renew our shared commitment with humility, urgency, and compassion to a safer and more resilient future for communities across the Hindu Kush Himalaya and downstream regions.