A local art gallery owner with deep ties to Nepal is sharing his concerns after devastating floods swept through the Himalayan nation, leaving communities struggling to recover from widespread destruction.
Michael J. Costa, who owns Costa Gallery in Los Osos and has traveled to Nepal multiple times over the past decade, said he felt compelled to speak out after seeing news coverage of the catastrophic flooding.
"I said I needed to do something and have a reaction instead of being numb to what's going on in the world," Costa said. "All these natural disasters are affecting everyone, so we have to be humanitarians and take care of each other."
Costa's artwork captures moments from his travels to the region. Following news of the flooding, he immediately reached out to people he had met in Nepal to check on their safety.
The disaster has prompted response from humanitarian organizations, including Santa Barbara-based ShelterBox USA, which specializes in emergency shelter relief.
"Our focus is on the basic need of shelter," said Kerri Murray, ShelterBox president. "Right now, we are talking to our partners in the region to really understand what the greatest unmet shelter needs are, and really working with those partners to determine how we can best reach families who have lost everything."
ShelterBox has experience working in Nepal, having responded to a 7.8 magnitude earthquake there in 2015. That experience helps the organization navigate the challenging terrain and work with established local partners.
"Homes, roads, bridges, buildings, infrastructure just completely washed away in a very mountainous area of the Himalayas that is very difficult to reach," Murray said.
For Costa, sharing his perspective is important. He wants Central Coast residents to understand the resilience and character of the Nepali people.
"The Himalayas are unlike any other place," Costa said. "I wish for them peace. I wish for them a quick recovery. They're strong people. I've seen them build houses within days. They're resourceful. They take care of each other."
