Calgary among Canadian cities cancelling Teej festivals after Nepal floods
Nepalese community groups called off the annual Teej celebrations after a glacier collapse triggered flash flooding that killed roughly 800 people in Nepal and China.
Nepalese cultural organizations in cities including Calgary, Toronto and Brampton cancelled their annual Teej festivals over the weekend, following devastating flash flooding in Nepal and China. Teej is a Hindu celebration of womanhood normally marked with prayer, fasting, singing and dancing.
The flooding struck on Wednesday after a glacier collapsed in the Himalayan border region between Nepal and China, killing an estimated 800 people and leaving roughly 3,000 missing. Nepalese authorities warned of possible further flooding on Sunday and urged residents in affected districts to stay alert.
In British Columbia, the Nepali Canadian Women's Society cancelled its sold-out event for the first time ever and redirected about $15,000 in ticket sales from some 300 attendees toward humanitarian relief. Organizers in Toronto said members of the Nepalese diaspora in Canada have been struggling to reach relatives back home, with some still unaccounted for.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Saturday that a Canadian previously unaccounted for had been found safe. Canada's federal government has pledged $5 million in urgent humanitarian aid to Nepal, while Nepalese community groups across the country have been raising funds through sports and other events.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.