Brother Prem, for instance, is a key leader we support in the hardest-hit area who serves 17 churches.

While at first we assumed he too was missing, we just learned he escaped the flood by fleeing into the hills mere seconds before surging waters swallowed up the entire valley and village in it.

We are thankful for his safety, but all of the congregations under his care were devastated by the flood and are presumed missing.

While this is not accurate data, for the sake of offering context, let’s assume a house church consists of 15 people. Seventeen churches works out to be 255 Christians under Brother Prem’s care that would have been lost in the flood.

This same ministry sadly reported five of their leaders and entire families (that reach strategic Buddhist unreached groups) that were washed away in the flood.

While we first and foremost ask you to pray for those affected right now, we also want to provide a strategy update regarding how Asia Harvest will respond through our Persecution and Relief Fund, which exists specifically for disaster needs like these.

We have been advised that normal travel into these areas may not be possible for at least the next 2-3 days, possibly longer depending on conditions.

With electricity and internet services down, establishing contact with local pastors and believers to determine who has survived, what has been lost, and what each community urgently needs has become extremely difficult.

Relief supplies must come from the outside, as everything inside the disaster zone has been wiped out.

Daily, our team there is probing the roads and mountain trails to see what access they have to carry out a plan to bring in significant relief supplies as safely as possible.

Based on their experience serving these remote Himalayan communities, they anticipate the first phase of assistance may include:

• Emergency shelter — tarpaulins, tents, and temporary shelter materials for families whose homes have disappeared.

• Food supplies — rice, lentils, cooking oil, salt, and other basic food necessities.

• Safe drinking water — water filters and water purification supplies.

• Blankets — especially important for families exposed to the cold Himalayan nights.

• Hygiene supplies — basic sanitation and personal hygiene kits for displaced families.

• Solar power solutions — where appropriate, to restore basic lighting and communications in isolated communities.

• First-aid and basic medical supplies.

• Mosquito nets — for families temporarily displaced into lower and exposed areas.