Kampala, August 29, 2026 — Ugandan businessman and Nepal’s Honorary Consul to Uganda, Sudhir Ruparelia, has expressed solidarity with the people of Nepal following devastating floods that have killed hundreds and left thousands of people unaccounted for.
The businessman, who has served as Nepal’s Honorary Consul in Uganda since 2020, conveyed his condolences to families who have lost relatives and expressed support for communities affected by the disaster.
“My heartfelt condolences go to the families who have lost loved ones, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy,” Sudhir said.
He also commended the authorities, security personnel, rescue teams, volunteers and ordinary citizens who have been involved in efforts to locate missing people and assist those affected by the floods.
“At this difficult time, we stand in solidarity with the people of Nepal and pray for their safety, strength and swift recovery,” he said.
Disaster leaves widespread destruction
The floods followed a major glacial collapse in the Himalayan region on Wednesday, unleashing a huge torrent of water, rock, ice, mud and debris through river systems in the mountainous areas bordering Tibet.
The force of the flooding swept through communities, destroying homes, roads and bridges and damaging critical infrastructure, including hydropower facilities.
Nepal’s authorities have continued to search for people reported missing, although heavy rain and difficult weather conditions have repeatedly disrupted rescue operations.
By Saturday, reports indicated that more than 600 people had died in Nepal and Tibet, while thousands remained unaccounted for. The exact figures continued to change as rescue teams reached previously inaccessible areas and recovered more bodies.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals, including tourists and pilgrims who were travelling in the Himalayan region when the floods struck.
Nepal’s government has called for specialised international assistance in areas where additional technical expertise is required. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the country needed support in areas including tunnel rescues, restoring damaged transport and communication links, identifying bodies through DNA testing and dealing with the large number of recovered remains.
India has already sent relief supplies, including food, medicines, blankets and water-purification materials, while also offering specialised disaster-response support and temporary bridges. Other international actors have also mobilised assistance as the scale of the disaster has become clearer.
The reconstruction bill could reach $5 billion
The destruction is expected to place a significant burden on Nepal’s economy.
Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle told Reuters that the initial estimate for rebuilding the areas affected by the floods was between $4 billion and $5 billion, although he stressed that the figure remains preliminary as authorities continue assessing the damage.
The estimated reconstruction cost would be equivalent to nearly one-tenth of Nepal’s economy.
The floods have damaged towns, roads, bridges and major hydropower projects, creating additional pressure on a country whose economy depends heavily on tourism, remittances and hydropower. Projects representing more than 12 per cent of Nepal’s electricity-generating capacity were reportedly affected.
The projected reconstruction bill is lower than the roughly $9 billion Nepal spent following the devastating 2015 earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. However, officials say the current assessment is still ongoing, and the final cost could change as more damage is documented.
Sudhir Ruparelia’s diplomatic role
Dr Ruparelia’s statement comes in his capacity as Nepal’s Honorary Consul to Uganda, a position he has held since 2020.
He was appointed by Nepal’s then-President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and formally presented his credentials to Uganda’s then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, in March 2020. The move marked the opening of Nepal’s first consulate in Uganda at Crane Chambers on Kampala Road.
Nepal’s diplomatic listings identify Sudhir as the country’s Honorary Consul in Uganda, with the consular office based in Kampala.
The honorary consul’s role includes helping strengthen relations between Nepal and Uganda and supporting cooperation involving the two countries.
As rescue operations continue, Nepal faces the immediate challenge of finding missing people and assisting affected communities, while also beginning the much larger task of restoring roads, bridges, power infrastructure and other essential services destroyed by the floods.
For Dr Ruparelia, the disaster has also brought a message of solidarity from Uganda to a country facing one of its most serious natural disasters in recent years.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Nepal and pray for their safety, strength and swift recovery,” he said.
