On August 26, devastating flash floods struck five districts in Nepal along the Nepal-Tibet border. As of August 31, the death toll topped 1,000 people, with more than 4,400 still unaccounted for in both Nepal and China, CNN reported.
Tens of thousands of people have been affected, with homes destroyed, roads and bridges collapsed, and communities cut off from any support.
The event was initially reported as an earthquake of magnitude 4.4. But then, the United States Geological Survey later determined the tremor was caused by glacial rock and ice collapsing, registering a magnitude of 5.2.
This glacial collapse then triggered a massive release of water, mud, rock, and ice that careened down valleys and overtook the Lhende Khola, Bhoteskoshi, and Trishuli rivers.
The world watched on as terrifying videos showed buildings being obliterated in mere seconds as the rushing floods cascaded into communities.
As of Saturday, August 29, fundraising platform GoFundMe has created a hub page to help people affected by the unprecedented floods.
The hub contains verified fundraisers for locals who have created their own GoFundMe pages, as well as nonprofit organizations that are responding in the area.
Currently, the nonprofits listed for their support in the area include All Hands & Hearts, Americares, Binaytara, DirectRelief, Mercy Corps, GEM, Oxfam, Save the Children, One Heart Worldwide, World Central Kitchen, and Wine to Water.
The hub provides one simple page for people who want to make a difference to find fundraisers to support.
On the hub, the GoFundMe page reads, “many people were tragically killed after devastating floods hit Nepal, injuring thousands and leaving homes and businesses devastated. The GoFundMe community is coming together to help people rebuild and recover. Support for verified relief fundraisers and nonprofits will help those affected continue their recovery. Our Trust & Safety team will continue to update this page with more fundraisers as they are verified.”
According to GoFundMe, every fundraiser displayed on GoFundMe hub pages is verified by the platform’s “Trust & Safety experts.”
Donations on GoFundMe are protected by the “GoFundMe Giving Guarantee” — which offers a full refund if something isn’t right. On rare occasions when a GoFundMe fundraiser is found to be fraudulent, misused, or otherwise violates policies, the platform will give donors their money back, no matter where they donated from, for a full year after donating.
Featured Image: Courtesy of GoFundMe
