Joanna Lumley says ‘heartbreaking’ Nepal flood could have been predicted

Dame Joanna Lumley (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire Clara Margotin 4 minutes ago Dame Joanna Lumley has said the “heartbreaking” flash flood in Nepal “could have maybe been predicted” as she attended a vigil to remember those affected by the disaster.

The 80-year-old actress, who has visited Nepal on numerous occasions and has strong ties with the Gurkha community, told the Press Association seeing the flood sweep through the northern part of the country last week “broke her heart”.

Dame Joanna joined members of London’s Nepalese community at a candlelit vigil at Panas Gurkha Restaurant in Blackheath, south-east London, on Thursday afternoon.

Dame Joanna Lumley joins members of London’s Nepalese community (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire Around fifty people came together at the restaurant to pray for the communities affected by the catastrophe, observe a minute of silence and light candles.

Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said 1,252 deaths had been recorded since the flash flood on August 26.

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It added around 4,200 people remained missing, including 590 foreign nationals from 34 countries.

On Tuesday, Foreign Office minister Lord Wood of Anfield told the House of Lords that 36 British people are currently unaccounted for, up from the previous total of 33.

During the vigil, Dame Joanna said: “I think, actually, in this country and around the world our hearts have been absolutely broken by what happened in Nepal.

“The sense that it could have maybe been predicted by all the people who understood that by human activities somehow the world seems to be changing, seems to be getting warmer.

“These catastrophes, the great Himalayan glaciers melting, isn’t something that we haven’t heard of and thought of before.

“When you see the catastrophic outcome, I think we feel completely hopeless every day we look in the papers.”