Larne Rotary Club has sent funds to help survivors of a devastating flood in Nepal, as part of a wider appeal by Rotary clubs across Ireland that reached its €50,000 target.

The flood occurred on August 26 in the Trishuli River Valley near the Nepal-China border, caused by a collapse of rock and glacial ice. Many people were confirmed dead across Nepal and Tibet, and many survivors are now living in temporary shelters.

The Larne club's contribution came from a fund built up by members over several years for emergency response. The money is being channeled through the Rotary Club of Chitwan in Nepal, which Rotary Ireland has worked with for more than 40 years.

Rotary clubs in Ireland, north and south, have collaborated with the Chitwan club on projects including clean water, sanitation, digital learning, and solar-powered irrigation.

Chitwan club members, who are volunteers living in the region, visited shelters to assess needs and bought supplies locally. On September 3, they made their first relief journey, a 22-hour trip to deliver about US$4,000 worth of supplies to two shelters. They have since identified needs across ten shelters in Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts.

Rotary takes no administration costs beyond bank transfer charges, so all funds go to relief.

Sharon Gilbert, president of the Rotary Club of Larne, said members wanted to help and know the help would arrive. She cited the decades-long relationship with the Chitwan club as ensuring the right people receive the money and use it appropriately. She also thanked the people of Larne for their support.

Calodagh McCumiskey, international chair of Rotary Ireland, said this was Rotary Ireland's first emergency response of this kind since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, made possible by friendships built over 40 years.