20/08/2024
So sad to see this 🙏
Thamé updates:
According to locals, what happened is that there was a small earthquake in the morning (felt at Lawudo), causing 2 recently formed glacial lakes to merge and slowly the disaster unfolded. In the early afternoon someone who was above Thamé saw the flooding torrent flushing down and called the people in the village to warn them and run up the hill for their lives. They didn't have any time to bring anything, they just ran up the hill and saw their houses being swept away. All human beings are safe but several cows didn't survive.
If you are considering visiting Lawudo at this time, please be informed that there is currently no electricity in the whole valley and there won't most likely be any for a long time - from Lukla to Thamé, including Namché and Lawudo. This also means the internet connectivity is almost inexistent and when there is, it is very slow.
If you would like to support the relief efforts, in particular for the school that was swept away, please consider participating in this fundraiser from the Bodhicitta Trust: https://donorbox.org/thame-birthplace-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche-flood-relief-fund
The photo below shows the state of Thamé after the disaster with houses and hotels demolished. Rinpoche's birth house (which you can see next to the prayer wheel house) is currently hosting locals who lost their property.
