FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — As search crews continue looking for thousands of missing people after a deadly avalanche and flash flood in Nepal, members of the Central Valley’s Nepali community gathered at Fresno State to mourn the victims and show support for those affected.

A vigil was held from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Peace Garden next to the Fresno State Library.

The event was open to the public and honored the 1,243 lives reportedly lost, while the search continued for 4,875 people reportedly still missing.

The free event was organized by the Central Valley Nepali community, including Fresno State faculty members Dr. Mohan B. Dangi, Dr. Shailesh Rana and Dr. Anil Shrestha.

Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and professor emeritus Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor spoke at the event.

Larry Salinas, from Congressman Jim Costa’s office, also attended.

The gathering included a moment of silence, prayers and a show of solidarity for the citizens, families and children of Nepal and other affected areas.

Attendees were invited to bring a flower to place for the victims.

Donations supporting relief efforts can be made to the Government of Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

The disaster began Aug. 26, when a slope failure caused a glacier collapse near Langtang National Park and the borders of Nepal and China, creating the equivalent of a magnitude 5.2 earthquake in the nearby Himalayas.

An avalanche of water and rapidly melting ice overloaded streams and rivers with mud, rock, debris and other materials.

Fresno State held a similar vigil for victims and families after a major earthquake in Nepal in April 2015 that killed about 9,000 people.

After Fresno State helped raise money for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s humanitarian efforts in Nepal, Dangi traveled with a team of 10 from Nepal and the U.S. to the Langtang National Park area in June 2015 to help local citizens rebuild a school.

The Bokejhunda Rastriya Primary School is located in Bokejhunda in the Rasuwa District near where a flash flood occurred.

Rana visits Nepal frequently for volunteer work aimed at strengthening education and economic development in the country.

Shrestha also frequently travels to Nepal to work with government organizations, researchers, students and growers to share his weed science research and information about ecology and pesticide use.