World and Faith Leaders Offer Condolences and Aid to Nepal After the 2026 Floods

World and faith leaders have offered condolences and aid to Nepal after the catastrophic floods of 26 August 2026, from the Dalai Lama and Pope Leo XIV to the governments of Pakistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Alongside the larger pledges from India, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Nations, this second wave of messages and offers underscored how widely Nepal's tragedy was felt.

The disaster tore down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers from the Tibetan border into Nepal's Rasuwa district, killing hundreds and leaving hundreds more missing. The full toll is tracked in our Nepal Floods 2026 live-updates hub and detailed in our report on what happened in Rasuwa on 26 August. Below is a verified round-up of who said what, and who gave what.

Faith leaders: the Dalai Lama and Pope Leo XIV

The Dalai Lama offered prayers for those killed on both sides of the border. "I am saddened to learn of the devastating floods in the Rasuwa region of Nepal and Kyirong in Tibet, resulting in loss of life and heavy structural damage," he said in a message dated 27 August, praying for the dead and offering "my sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and to all those affected by this tragedy." He noted that the region had suffered such calamities before, and expressed hope that follow-up measures — addressing climate change and other underlying causes — would help prevent them recurring.

Pope Leo XIV sent his condolences in a telegram issued on 27 August by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on the Pope's behalf. The Holy Father was "saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation" caused by the floods, the message said, and "sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy." The Pope also offered prayers for the emergency personnel carrying out the rescue.

Pakistan: condolences from the president and prime minister

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both expressed sorrow over the loss of life. In a statement shared on social media, Mr Sharif extended "his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and all those impacted by the natural disaster," and said Pakistan "stands firmly with the Government and people of Nepal during this difficult time." President Zardari conveyed Pakistan's sympathies to the bereaved and expressed solidarity with the people and government of Nepal.

Regional aid: South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam

South Korea was reported to have dispatched a response team and around US$1 million in humanitarian assistance. Sri Lanka's President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, said he had directed his government to provide a financial contribution of US$1 million, while Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath spoke with Nepal's Foreign Minister, Shishir Khanal. Bangladesh, itself a downstream nation familiar with flooding, said it was ready to assist and sent relief materials including tents, mosquito nets, food and body bags. Vietnam's leaders, including President To Lam, sent formal condolence messages to their Nepali counterparts, President Ram Chandra Paudel among them.

The European Union and a note on the China side

The European Union activated its Copernicus emergency satellite service, providing disaster-mapping imagery to help responders assess the damage across the flood zone. It is worth noting that the same weather system struck the Tibetan side of the border, around Gyirong (Kerung), and several governments — including the United Arab Emirates — directed their condolences to China over the victims there rather than to Nepal directly. The cross-border nature of the catastrophe is covered in our report on the Bhote Koshi flash flood.

Nepal's government continued to lead the response on the ground, coordinating the growing international support. For the families of the dead and missing — Nepali, Tibetan and foreign alike — the breadth of the world's response was a reminder that they were not grieving alone.

Sources: Dalai Lama — Office of the Dalai Lama; Pope Leo XIV — Vatican News; Pakistan — Radio Pakistan; Vietnam — Vietnam News Agency; regional aid and EU response summarised by Wikipedia and Al Jazeera. Casualty figures were provisional and changing; see our live hub for the latest.

Cover photo: Matheus Costa via Pexels (Pexels License).