Kathmandu: A London-based restaurateur and charity fundraiser has described the devastation he witnessed during a visit to the Nepal-Tibet border, one of the areas severely affected by last month’s flash floods.
Sujan Katuwal MBE, founder of the charitable organisation Panas Helping Hands, said the scale of destruction was overwhelming after seeing buildings destroyed, homes swept away and roads and bridges severely damaged.
“It was like a horror movie. When I saw the devastation, with buildings completely demolished and homes washed away, my heart cried,” Katuwal said.
Katuwal, who operates a Gurkha restaurant in Blackheath, travelled to the Himalayan region with a small team from Panas Helping Hands to assess the impact of the disaster and meet affected communities.
Following the devastating floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, he launched an emergency fundraising appeal that generated £51,000 within a matter of days.
Earlier this week, Katuwal handed over a cheque for the amount to Nepal’s Finance Minister, Hon. Dr Swarnim Wagle, before travelling to the flood-affected areas with former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
Reflecting on the visit, Katuwal said the destruction was much greater than he had expected. “This is far more devastating than I had imagined. I had seen images and reports beforehand, but seeing it with my own eyes is completely different,” he said.
He also spoke about meeting families who had lost loved ones in the disaster. “It has also been heart-breaking to meet families who have lost loved ones : husbands, wives, parents, children, sisters and brothers. The pain is palpable and immense,” he said.
Katuwal said he plans to launch another fundraising campaign after returning to the UK, this time focusing on the long-term recovery and reconstruction of the affected region.
“The region faces a colossal task of rebuilding, and we need to find ways of helping prevent such an appalling disaster from happening again,” he said.
Alongside the emergency fundraising campaign, Katuwal also organised a vigil to remember the victims of the catastrophic flash flooding, which was triggered by a glacial collapse and subsequent debris flow in the Himalayas.
The vigil, held at his Blackheath restaurant, was attended by Dame Joanna Lumley, television personality Sally Lindsay and members of the Nepali and Gurkha communities.
During his Nepal visit, Katuwal also met HE Rob Fenn, British Ambassador to Nepal, at the British Embassy in Kathmandu. Their discussions focused on the impact of the floods and the strong support being provided by communities across the UK.
Ambassador Fenn expressed his sorrow over the destruction and acknowledged the generosity and solidarity demonstrated towards the people of Nepal.
Katuwal also expressed special appreciation to the campaign’s principal donor, Dr Petr Firt, whose contribution played an important role in the fundraising effort.
“I am incredibly grateful to Petr for believing in what we are trying to achieve and for standing with the people of Nepal. His generosity has helped us turn compassion into action,” Katuwal said.
The initiative is expected to continue beyond the immediate relief phase. Dr Firt plans to return to Nepal with Katuwal in March 2027, when they intend to visit affected communities and explore opportunities to support longer-term recovery and reconstruction.
The Nepal campaign builds on Katuwal and the PANAS team’s longstanding community service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisation provided more than 250,000 free meals to NHS workers, Gurkha veterans, homeless people and others in need. Its weekly support for homeless communities in London continues.
Katuwal’s community work also includes efforts to highlight the longstanding relationship between Britain and Nepal. In November, PANAS is scheduled to support the presentation of Nepali culture and more than 200 years of Gurkha heritage at the Lord Mayor’s Show 2026, alongside the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas and community partners.
Dr Firt, a Czech business leader and philanthropist, contributed a five-figure sum to the Nepal appeal. He supports a number of charities in the UK and is also involved in conservation initiatives, particularly in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In 2021, Firt received a Management Excellence Award from Czech TOP 100 in recognition of his contribution to developing business relations between the Czech Republic, the UK and other Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean region.
In 2024, marking the 130th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather Leopold, who served in the Eighth Army under legendary commander Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Firt organised an exhibition in Prague dedicated to the war hero. The exhibition was described as the first of its kind in post-war Czechoslovakia.
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