Expatriates describe the emotional toll of monitoring natural disasters from afar as the UAE pledges $10 million in emergency aid.
DUBAI:For the vibrant Nepali expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates, watching natural disasters unfold in their homeland brings a unique mixture of anxiety and helplessness. As devastating flash floods and landslides continue to impact thousands across Nepal, community members in the Gulf are relying on quick phone calls, social media updates, and localized relief efforts to support their loved ones from afar.
The emotional strain of being thousands of kilometers away during a crisis has weighed heavily on the UAE’s Nepali diaspora. In districts severely hit by torrential rains and mudslides, power cuts and disrupted telecommunications networks have routinely turned brief delays in getting through to family members into hours of agonizing suspense.
“It is extremely painful to see my country going through this while I am far away,” said Nabin Poudel, a Dubai-based banking professional who has lived in the Emirates for 18 years. “Your mind is constantly back home, wondering if your family is safe. Even when your own relatives are out of harm’s way, the broader destruction makes it impossible to feel at ease.”
The catastrophe has sparked widespread solidarity across the region, bolstered by official government action. Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE committed $10 million in urgent humanitarian relief through the UAE Aid Agency to support relief operations on the ground. The funding targets immediate shelter, medical care, and essential supplies for displaced families.
For frontline workers like Sarita Tamang, a nurse based in the UAE for 13 years, the situation highlights the contrast of daily life abroad during a homeland emergency. While caring for patients in local hospitals, her focus remained tethered to storm reports from Nepal. “As a nurse, I spend my days caring for people here, but when I see the flood situation back home, my heart is with my own people,” she shared, emphasizing the relief of finally hearing her family’s voices over the phone.
Community networks across the GCC are actively mobilizing to coordinate logistics and raise awareness. Leaders within the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and the Nepal Association UAE have urged community members and international humanitarian agencies to step up assistance for long-term recovery efforts.
“Not being able to reach loved ones during a disaster causes immense distress,” noted Bikas Shahi, deputy regional coordinator for the Middle East at the NRNA. “Every contribution, whether large or small, makes a meaningful difference to families who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Seeing our working home, the UAE, extend a hand to our birth nation provides comfort and strength.”
As emergency crews in Nepal clear debris and rebuild critical infrastructure, the Nepali community in the UAE continues to monitor the situation closely, offering both financial contributions and moral support to ensure their homeland recovers.
