THE GOAN
PANAJI
For those living away from home, the distance can make tragedy feel even more helpless. Nearly a week after a massive flash flood struck Nepal on August 26, sweeping away homes, roads and bridges across districts including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Tanahun, Nepalis in Goa continue to watch the devastation unfold, desperately checking on loved ones and coming to terms with the loss. CCTV footage captured frightening scenes as torrents of water swept away homes, roads and bridges, cutting off entire communities. As of Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the death toll from Nepal's flash floods has risen to 1,127, with 4,858 people still missing. Security forces have successfully rescued 6,541 people from the hardest-hit regions. Images and videos circulating on social media have brought the scale of the devastation into homes across the world. Missing persons’ photographs have been put up across hospital and police station walls, while mass burials have begun as authorities struggle to deal with the number of casualties.
Far from home
Meanwhile, for Dikshya, Dorje, Desmuk, Abhishek Khadka and Santosh Oli, Nepalis now living in Goa, these were not merely images on a screen. They were scenes unfolding in the places they grew up in; among people they call family, and in their home.
“My first instinct was to obviously check if everyone at home was okay. Then I was mostly watching the news and trying to understand what happened,” remarks Dikshya, a Software Development Engineer, currently living in Goa, adding that seeing everything happen from afar was still scary. Dorje, who has been living in Goa for the past 8-10 years, mentions that his immediate reaction was disbelief. “When I first saw the visuals, I couldn’t believe that it was my home. I immediately felt like leaving everything here and rushing home,” he says. For Abhishek Khadka, who runs a restaurant in Porvorim, the grief grew as more visuals emerged. “The videos and pictures were very disturbing. I watched two videos; I couldn’t watch anymore,” Khadka says. Like many others, his first instinct was to make sure his family back home was safe.
While for some, the tragedy has evoked anguish and despair at being unable to be with their families, for others, that pain is intertwined with the devastation of their motherland. “As they say in Sanskrit, जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी (janani janmabhumisch svargadapi gariyasi), meaning that nothing is truly more sacred than my motherland, and it is indeed true,” says Desmuk, who has settled in Goa, expressing his grief.
Memories of home
The destruction has also brought back memories of the ordinary moments that once seemed insignificant but now feel precious. For some, those memories are a few months old; for others, they stretch back years. “The simple things, being at home with family, eating ghar ka khana, just roaming with cousins without any plan. I think these random normal days are what I miss more,” reminisces Dikshya. While she expresses relief that her family is fortunately safe, some of their extended acquaintances have been affected. “Just hope things become normal for everyone soon,” she says, pointing out that even a little help is always welcome at a time like this.
These memories of home are shared by many who have left Nepal in search of opportunities. “All of us Nepalis fondly remember the places where we played and grew up, having fun with friends, and celebrating our religious festivals that came after months or years,” remarks Santosh Oli, a relative of Khadka. While leaving home brings its own sense of loss, he says there is also happiness in remembering the life lived there. Khadka has tried to do his bit to help, “No matter where you are, your thoughts shall always be about home; same with me, even though I haven’t been able to go there physically, I have tried to help in small ways by donating through my restaurant.”
Risks beyond floods
Beyond the immediate human tragedy, however, the disaster has also renewed concerns about the environmental vulnerability of Nepal’s mountainous regions. Flash floods and landslides can have devastating consequences in ecologically sensitive areas, where fragile slopes, changing weather patterns, deforestation, infrastructure development and the loss of natural drainage systems can increase the risks faced by communities. As the country struggles to deal with the aftermath, there are also concerns about people attempting to exploit the tragedy for personal gain. “Various scams are going around, so it is always best to cross-check. The Prime Minister’s relief fund is a trustworthy fundraiser, and I would appeal to everyone to help in any way possible,” Dorje says, urging people to verify appeals before making donations.
For those watching from Goa, the physical distance from Nepal has done little to lessen the emotional impact. Their families, memories and sense of belonging remain tied to a landscape that has now been dramatically altered. As rescue operations continue and communities begin the long process of rebuilding, the hope among Nepalis living away from home is not only that their loved ones remain safe, but that the affected regions can recover soon. For those who cannot be there in person, helping their communities from afar is their way of standing beside home in its hour of need.
