Nepal is facing a devastating humanitarian crisis following the recent flash floods that have taken lives, destroyed homes and infrastructure, disrupted livelihoods and left families searching for missing loved ones. As rescue teams continue working in difficult conditions, Nepal is also witnessing an extraordinary wave of international solidarity. Governments, organizations, community groups and individuals around the world are raising funds and sending assistance. This generosity is deeply appreciated and will be essential for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. However, at this critical moment, Nepal must keep its immediate priority clear: saving lives and rescuing those who may still be waiting for help.

Money is important, but money alone cannot rescue someone trapped in a tunnel, stranded in a remote village or isolated by destroyed roads and bridges. During the immediate emergency phase, what matters most is the rapid deployment of trained rescue personnel, helicopters, engineering teams, medical professionals, communication equipment, boats, drones and other specialized resources. Financial contributions become meaningful when they are quickly transformed into these life-saving actions.

This is why Nepal’s disaster response should be guided by a simple principle: rescue first, relief next, and recovery and reconstruction afterward. The needs of each phase are different. While fundraising may receive significant public attention, the immediate response should focus on identifying where people are trapped or missing, reaching isolated communities, evacuating those at risk and providing urgent medical care.

The Government of Nepal has an important responsibility to lead this effort. National security and disaster-response agencies, local governments, health institutions, engineers and humanitarian organizations must work through a coordinated system rather than operating independently. The government should maintain a continuously updated assessment of affected communities and communicate clearly where rescue capacity, medical assistance, food, water, shelter and other resources are most urgently needed.

International assistance should also be coordinated according to these identified needs. Nepal should not simply ask the international community for money. It should communicate specific requirements. If specialized tunnel-rescue expertise is needed, that expertise should be requested. If helicopters, engineering equipment, medical teams, drones or emergency communication systems are needed, those resources should be prioritized. Financial assistance remains valuable, but technical and operational support may be even more critical during the first hours and days of a disaster.
Recent international responses demonstrate why this approach matters. Some countries and organizations are providing not only financial support but also specialized personnel, humanitarian supplies and technical assistance. Such support can directly strengthen Nepal’s rescue and emergency-response capacity when it is matched with clearly identified needs.

There is also a risk that an uncontrolled rush to provide assistance can create another problem: duplication. Several organizations may send similar supplies to the same location while remote communities receive little support. Multiple fundraising campaigns may compete for attention without clear information about what is actually required. Good intentions do not automatically produce effective disaster management. Coordination is what turns generosity into impact.

Nepal therefore needs a centralized and transparent mechanism for assessing needs and coordinating assistance. Such a system should identify affected locations, determine their immediate requirements, match those needs with available national and international resources, and communicate progress to the public. Donors and humanitarian organizations should be able to see whether their contributions are addressing genuine priorities.

Transparency is equally important. People around the world are willing to donate because they want to help Nepal. They deserve to know how funds are being collected, who is responsible for managing them and what they will support. Fundraising should be connected to clearly defined needs rather than becoming an end in itself. A campaign raising money for immediate rescue should be clearly distinguished from one raising money for long-term reconstruction.
Social media also has an important role in this process. During disasters, people use Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Messenger and other platforms to search for missing relatives, share rescue information and organize assistance. These platforms can save lives when information is accurate. But unverified reports, false casualty figures, old photographs and misleading fundraising appeals can create confusion and distress. Authorities and trusted organizations should therefore provide regular, verified updates and clearly identify legitimate channels for assistance.
The psychological wellbeing of affected families must not be forgotten. For families waiting for news about loved ones, every social-media notification can bring hope or devastating fear. Premature announcements of death or unverified reports about missing people can cause enormous emotional harm. Information about casualties and missing persons must therefore be carefully verified before being publicly circulated.

The immediate focus, however, must remain on those who can still be rescued. Every hour matters. Search-and-rescue capacity should be deployed according to the likelihood of saving lives, geographic accessibility and urgency. Where Nepal lacks specialized expertise or equipment, international support should be mobilized quickly rather than waiting for lengthy administrative processes.

At the same time, Nepal should use this disaster to strengthen its preparedness for the future. Specialized rescue teams, emergency communication systems, early-warning mechanisms, medical response capacity, helicopters, engineering expertise and disaster logistics cannot be created after a disaster begins. They must be developed, tested and maintained beforehand. International assistance can strengthen these efforts, but Nepal also needs sustainable domestic capacity.

There will be a time to discuss reconstruction, infrastructure, environmental management, climate risks, disaster preparedness and accountability. Those conversations are necessary. Nepal will eventually require substantial financial resources to rebuild damaged homes, roads, bridges, health facilities, hydropower projects and livelihoods. But while people remain missing and rescue operations continue, the country’s attention should not be diverted from the immediate humanitarian task.

The international community’s willingness to help Nepal is a powerful expression of solidarity. We should welcome every contribution financially, technically and humanitarian. But the measure of a successful response should not be the amount of money raised, or the number of fundraising campaigns launched. It should be how effectively those resources reach people in danger and how many lives they help save.

Nepal does not have to choose between fundraising and rescue. It needs both, but in the right order and with the right purpose. Fundraising should support rescue and relief, not replace them. The government must lead, coordinate and clearly communicate what is needed, while donors and organizations should align their assistance with those priorities.
For those who are still trapped, missing or stranded, tomorrow may be too late. Nepal therefore needs urgent action today: trained rescuers, appropriate equipment, coordinated operations, reliable information and rapid deployment of every available resource.

Money will be essential to rebuild Nepal. But right now, the most urgent investment is in saving lives. Rescue first. Relief next. Recovery afterward.
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Disclaimer: This article represents the author’s personal perspectives and does not reflect the views or positions of any affiliated institution.