OPB’s First Look: Oregon Nepalis support flood relief

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Good morning, Northwest.

As of now, more than 1,300 people have died and more than 5,000 remain missing after catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border on Aug. 26, according to local authorities.

Thousands of miles away in Oregon, members of a small but tight-knit Nepali community are grieving the loss and devastation in their home country while collecting donations to support those affected by the disaster. OPB’s Jireh Deng has the story.

Here’s your First Look at Saturday’s news. Remember, there’ll be no newsletter in your inbox on Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday. See you Tuesday.

— Winston Szeto

Top story

In this photo provided by Ganga Sharma, people gathered on Aug. 30, 2026 for a vigil at the Nirtya Mandala Mahavihara Buddhist temple in Portland, honoring flood victims in Nepal.
*Courtesy of Ganga Sharma*

Portland’s Nepali community grieve and organize aid after devastating flooding

Seven thousand miles away at a Buddhist temple in Portland, a small but tight-knit community of Nepali Americans have been grappling with the loss following the massive flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border on Aug. 26.

As one of the only temples outside of Asia that practices the Newar Buddhism that originated in the Kathmandu Valley, the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has been a special place of worship for Nepalis living abroad.

Last Sunday, people gathered at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara to grieve the loss of life in Nepal.

Ganga Sharma attended the somber, candlelit event with her sisters. As an executive member of the Nepali Association of Oregon, Sharma has been fundraising for disaster relief to help rebuild the flooded districts. (Jireh Deng)

Learn More

3 things to know

The Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma houses detainees of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
*Stephani Gordon / OPB*

A rally has been planned at the Portland Waterfront today at 1 p.m. to bring attention to the case of Tareq Zakarneh, a Palestinian resident of the Portland area who is set to be deported to the West Bank on Wednesday. (Elena Neale-Sacks)
Kris Swanson, who was fired as Battle Ground city manager last month, has warned city officials she may sue. Swanson alleges the city violated laws around retaliation, discrimination and more. (Erik Neumann)
The federal Office of Inspector General found former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon oversaw a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” work environment and “engaged with an inappropriate relationship” with a member of her security team, according to a report released yesterday.(Jill Colvin, AP)

Northwest headlines

Flags on the Senate floor at the Oregon State Capitol, May 18, 2021 in Salem, Ore.
*Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB*

Oregon was first state in nation to sign a law declaring Labor Day a holiday (Kyra Buckley)
Canby officers shoot and kill person at apartment complex (Casey Frizzell)
Former Lane Community College student sues, alleging administration violated free speech rights (Rebecca Hansen-White, KLCC)
Voters will see statement on Washington income tax measure’s budget effects (Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard)
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin’s local printing press to shutter, but print edition carries on (Erick Bengel, NWPB)
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to retire in December after transformative and tumultuous tenure (Doug Feinberg, AP)

One more look

Twilight fandom helps fund Quileute Tribe’s move to higher ground

In recent years, the Quileute Tribe has been working toward relocating its town on the Washington Coast out of harm’s way.

That town, La Push, has been withering away from erosion and sits smack dab in a tsunami zone.

Now, the tribe is getting some financial help for its Move to Higher Ground Project from an unlikely source. Thousands of fans of the Twilight romantasy series of books and movies — and the books’ author — want to right a wrong.

The Quileute people’s likeness is used throughout the franchise while the tribe’s traditional lore is misrepresented. On top of that, the tribe never saw a penny of the billions the series made at the box office.

“I feel like, in reality, we’re doing something very small,” longtime fan Kayla Park says of their efforts. “We’re really just trying to shine a light on things that have already existed.” (Lyric Aquino, Underscore Native News and Report for America)