Gorkha, Oct. 20 -- The Budhigandaki flood swept away Mangal Gurung's house in Paiyu, Chumnubri-3, Gorkha, on October 11, leaving him with little more than the clothes he had on. He now sleeps in a tent pitched on a hillside above the village, alongside a neighbour's house.

Helicopters brought relief supplies in the days after the disaster. Gurung received some food and clothing, but the assistance has done little to ease one of his most immediate problems: he has nothing to cook with. The flood washed away everything, down to the last spoon. Without pots, pans or other utensils, even the food delivered by relief teams is difficult to prepare.

His predicament is shared by many families in Chumnubri-3 whose homes were swept away by the fl...