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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Royal Nepal restaurant on Mount Vernon Avenue will open on Labor Day and donate the day's sales to relief efforts in Nepal, where catastrophic flash flooding last week has killed hundreds and left thousands missing.
The restaurant, at 3807 Mount Vernon Ave., will serve from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 7, according to a flyer posted at the restaurant and its announcement on social media. All sales from the day will be donated to Nepal flood relief through the Nepal government's official channel, the restaurant said. Its staff are volunteering their time.
Royal Nepal, which serves Nepali and Indian dishes, is normally closed on Mondays.
In a video posted to Instagram, members of the restaurant's staff described the disaster and the fundraiser, speaking in Nepali and English. They said Nepal is going through a very difficult time after flooding that has affected families and communities, that some people have lost their lives and others are still missing, and that their hearts go out to everyone affected. "From our Royal Nepal Restaurant family to Nepal, we stand with you," one said.
The staff are volunteering to make the day possible, they said, describing the restaurant as wanting to do its part for the Nepali community back home.
The flooding began Aug. 26, when a surge of water swept down the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side of the border into Nepal's Rasuwa district.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority put the death toll at 734 or more as of Saturday, with nearly 2,500 people still missing, including about 100 Americans, and more than 8,100 rescued, NBC News reported. The Nepal Red Cross has said more than 90,000 people have been affected. Nepal's finance minister told Reuters the country may need $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild.
The State Department announced Saturday that the United States is providing $3.6 million in humanitarian aid to Nepal, up from $500,000 announced two days earlier, according to CNN.
Ryan Belmore is an Alexandria resident and the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
