Before us a huge volume of water, around 80% of the total river flow, was going through a 2km gap flooding large tracts of land in Nepal and India. Efforts to place rocks and sandbags to stop the flow seemed incredibly futile amid the force and volume of the water.

While this is about mighty rivers and floods, it is first and fore-most about men, women, girls and boys who have fled the waters with virtually nothing.

In Nepal around 50,000 have been left homeless. It was heart-wrenching to see them on raised land lying out on pieces of wood with only thin tarpaulin sheets providing protection against the monsoon rain and strong sun.

Most of the people are living in school compounds with up to 5 families or 30 people occupying one classroom.

While it is difficult to imagine living in such circumstances, particularly after losing so much, it was heartening to see the resilience of individuals.

Families were making simple cooking stoves from cow dung and straw, preparing food, and going about their lives in the midst of grief and loss.

The important role older children have in emergencies was brought home to me by a 13 year old girl named Sangita Urau. Each day her parents leave five children aged 1-6 years old in her care while they seek day work.

She has responsibility for bathing, feeding and keeping safe these children while representing the family at relief distributions and community meetings.

In addition, she was preparing an evening meal for her parents, and children – it was hard to imagine how such a young girl could handle such responsibility.

"Proud of our team" 

I was very proud of the efforts of our World Vision International Nepal team and how they responded to the enormous human need.

We were first to be involved in providing food and shelter when the disaster struck. I saw water points and latrines provided by World Vision, together with mats, bowls and other items distributed to needy families.

It was moving to be at a distribution of blankets at Jhalpapur Madrasa where around 800 Muslim displaced persons are living.

There I met Sakina Khatun, 21. She simply explained how the blankets provided by World Vision were the only bedding they had and would be used for warmth and some meager comfort on the concrete floor for members of her family.

I also attended one of the feeding sessions for children under five that World Vision conducts twice a day in each of the school camps in Sunsari. Around 100 young children enjoyed the high energy meal prepared by our local partners and community volunteers. This food ensures the children maintain good nutrition and health during the crises.

There remains much to be done. World Vision is coordinating closely with other development organisations and the local Government.

We plan to continue infant feeding, provide non-food items such as cooking pots and buckets, establish Child Friendly Spaces and do further work to provide safe drinking water and sanitation.

After two days of observing the lives of thousands impacted I was left feeling incredibly sad, deeply moved, and very humbled by relief workers I met.

Yet I was also left with a sense of hope that the resilience of those in the camps together with the compassion and love shown by World Vision staff, our partners and other organisations assisting would win out in the end.

My thanks go to the Sunsari team and relief team as they continue to respond to the needs of the people during this difficult time.