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Parishioners light candles during a vigil for the victims of the flood in Nepal, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026 at Shree Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddha Vihar in Euless.<\/p>\n
Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Dressed in a mix of traditional Nepali garb and business casual attire, dozens of people filed down an outdoor aisle to place small candles on an altar and offer prayers for those still missing after the devastating floods in Nepal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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As they waited, many members of North Texas’ Nepali community checked in with each other and recounted what they knew about the situation on the other side of the globe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gita Pandey, a Euless resident, said in an interview several relatives were victims of the floods and their bodies have not been found. Some relatives were missing at one of the country\u2019s hydropower sites<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too much,\u201d Pandey, 55, said through tears with her hand to her chest. \u201cWe lost hope.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Hundreds of people gathered for the candlelight vigil Monday evening outside of the Shree Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddha Vihar, a Hindu and Buddhist Temple in Euless. The site is also home to the Nepali Cultural and Spiritual Center and the Nepalese Society of Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n The vigil was held 13 days after the flooding<\/a> that, according to the Associated Press, killed more than 1,300 people in Nepal and Tibet. About 5,000 are still missing. Although the catastrophe happened thousands of miles away, the pain was close to home for the Nepali community in North Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nepal also held a national day of mourning Monday. In Nepal, which is predominantly Hindu, mourning periods last for 13 days. Relatives visit the home to pay their respects and rituals are held on the final day, according to the AP.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Deadly Nepal floods hit close to home for North Texas\u2019 Nepali community<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Priests Megh Raj (center right) and Shaker Pandit (right) lead a prayer during a vigil for the victims of the flood in Nepal, on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026 at Shree Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddha Vihar in Euless.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Priests from the temple led the crowd in chants and prayer amid the glow of candles. Many attendees clasped their hands and closed their eyes. Dozens of children were seated near an altar under a raised map of Nepal.\u00a0<\/p>\n A moment of silence followed the prayers, broken only by the exclamations of children in attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n Baikuntha Thapa, board of trustees chair for the Nepalese Society of Texas, said most of those gathered for the vigil were born in Nepal and almost everyone knows someone impacted by the disaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our first home now,\u201d he said. \u201cNepal is our second home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Bijaya Bhusal, president of the Society, said the group is collecting donations at https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/nepals-flood-disaster-relief-fund-2026<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n