VICTORIA UNITES FOR NEPAL

Candlelight vigil for Nepal flood victims

(ONA, 31 August 2026)-Melbourne will tonight open its heart to the people of Nepal as the city hosts a candlelight vigil at Federation Square, honouring the hundreds of lives lost in the catastrophic floods that have devastated the Himalayan nation.

The vigil, organised with the support of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, will see Victorians of all backgrounds gather to remember those who have perished, pray for the missing, and stand in solidarity with the grieving Nepali community.

“WE MOURN TOGETHER. WE STAND TOGETHER.”

The recent flooding in Nepal and surrounding regions has unleashed an unimaginable tragedy. Flash floods and landslides tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins, sweeping away entire communities along the Nepal-China border . The death toll continues to mount—now exceeding 547 confirmed fatalities—with more than 1,473 injured and over 900 still unaccounted for .

For Victoria’s growing Nepali community, this is not a distant disaster. It is personal. It is family. It is home.

A COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

The Victorian Multicultural Commission, standing in solidarity with Victoria’s Nepali community and the people of Nepal, has encouraged all Victorians to join tonight’s vigil.

“Let’s work together, let’s pray together, and let’s go through this pain together,” said Dr Tilak Pokhrel, president of the Australian Nepalese Multicultural Centre, in a heartfelt appeal to the community .

For many in the diaspora, the anguish is compounded by the agonising wait for news. Community members are checking the news every hour, desperately hoping for word from missing relatives and friends . The Australian government has confirmed that 39 Australians remain unaccounted for, including trekkers and tourists caught in remote valleys .

THE TRAGEDY UNFOLDS

The scale of the disaster is staggering. Many of the missing were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet—a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists, and followers of other faiths—when the flash floods struck without warning . Survivors have described walls of black water, 60 to 70 feet high, rushing toward them like a tsunami .

One Indian-American couple who narrowly escaped described watching the water approach their tour bus—”It was not water, it looked like a forest fire,” they recalled. They jumped from the bus moments before it was swept away, spending the night in a goat shed before being rescued by helicopter the next day .

Rescue operations continue, with emergency services working tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions. The Caritas Nepal relief organisation has reported that many main bridges and roads have been destroyed, making access to survivors extraordinarily challenging . Even relief teams have been ordered to retreat to safety as the threat of further flash floods persists .

GLOBAL OUTPOURING OF SOLIDARITY

The tragedy has touched hearts around the world. From candlelight vigils in Boston to prayer gatherings in India’s border towns, communities everywhere are standing with Nepal .

Here in Melbourne, tonight’s vigil at Federation Square will be a powerful testament to that global solidarity. Members of the public are invited to gather from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, bringing candles and open hearts to remember those lost and pray for those affected .

“TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER”

The emotional toll on the diaspora is immeasurable. “We can’t go through this alone,” said Aloonee Adhikari, a Nepali community member in the United States. “When we get to get together like this, it gives us a sense of empowerment that at least we can sit there and pray for them, even if we’re not there” .

Her words resonate across oceans. Tonight, they will echo in Melbourne.

As the Victorian Multicultural Commission reminds us: We mourn together. We stand together.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Monday 31 August 2026
Time: 6:30pm–7:30pm
Venue: Federation Square, Melbourne

The vigil is a chance for all Victorians—regardless of background or faith—to show the Nepali community they are not alone. It is a moment to transform grief into action, compassion into solidarity.

In the words of one community leader: “One candle, one community, one Nepal. For those we lost, for those who are suffering, for those who are still hoping—together we are stronger, for Nepal and for humanity” .

Come. Light a candle. Stand with Nepal.