Hundreds of people gathered at Melbourne’s Federation Square for a Nepal flood vigil on Monday evening, lighting candles and raising phone torches in memory of those killed or still missing after the Himalayan disaster.
Nepali and Tibetan communities were joined by people from across the city five days after flooding triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. More than 900 people have died, while thousands remain unaccounted for on both sides of the frontier. ([perthnow.com.au](https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/disaster-and-emergency/every-candle-lit-for-you-hundreds-attend-nepal-vigil-c-22804177))
Buddhist monks and Hindu priests led prayers and chanted sacred mantras as mourners placed electric candles beside a memorial mural at the foot of the stage.
“Behind every missing person is a family living through unbearable uncertainty, hoping for a phone call, reunion, or a final answer,” Nirajan Gauli, of Victoria United for Nepal, told the crowd.
More than 3,000 people were still missing, including 43 Australians, according to figures cited at the vigil. Many of those unaccounted for had been travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage to a site regarded as sacred by Hindus and Buddhists.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll announced a state government pledge of $100,000 towards recovery efforts, in addition to an $8 million commitment from the federal government.
“All of Victoria stands behind you, and every candle in Federation Square tonight is lit up for you,” Mr Carroll told the community.
He was joined by Multicultural Affairs Minister Paul Edbrooke, Opposition spokesman Evan Mulholland and other political representatives in a show of bipartisan support.
Asmita Pokhrel travelled for more than an hour with her five-month-old daughter to attend the service.
“Everyone in Nepal is family, so it affects us all,” she told AAP. “I want my daughter to learn we are all connected. A lot of people are here from all different communities, so we are very grateful.”
Mr Gauli said the gathering was also a recognition of the growing vulnerability of the Himalayan region, where changing weather patterns, intense storms and melting glaciers are increasing the danger from floods and landslides.
Among the Australians missing are Sydney IT worker Gopi Krishna Naidu Agastya, Royal Australian Air Force member Karan Bhardwaj, Sydney woman Sumi Adhikari and Sunshine Coast woman Renee Spry.
Mr Agastya, 45, had completed the pilgrimage with the Isha Foundation and was travelling through the Gyirong port on the Nepal-China border when the flood struck. His wife and two young daughters have travelled from Sydney to his native Hyderabad in India as they wait for news.
“It was a dream of his to visit this Mansarovar, it’s a very rare opportunity,” his friend Murthy Yeluru told AAP. “Their hopes are slowly reducing.”
