Gravest Test

Nepal's rapper-turned-prime minister swept to power six months ago promising reform, but his young government now faces its gravest test after a glacial collapse unleashed catastrophe. A huge wave of freezing water and debris killed more than 1'000 people and left nearly 4'500 missing, with Kathmandu warning reconstruction costs could run into the "billions of dollars".

Prime Minister Balendra Shah, the 36-year-old former Kathmandu mayor widely known as "Balen", won March elections on a wave of euphoria and promises of political change. But he has since remained an elusive public figure, often seen in a sharp black suit and sunglasses, while largely communicating through social media. He posted a message hours after the floods, urging the country to "stand together", and has visited the disaster zones. But one week after Nepal's deadliest disaster since the 2015 earthquake, Shah has still not publicly addressed the nation.

"First major test"

"The government may be inexperienced, but it has done its best," said Prakash Aryal, who has been searching morgues for his sister and her family. "The previous government would not even take calls, but this time there are officers everywhere helping people like us."

"Expectations were exceptionally high when Balen came to office, especially among young voters who saw him as a break from Nepal's political establishment," said Brian Braun of the Control Risks consultancy. "Six months in, the picture is more mixed." Shah could point to faster public services and an anti-corruption push, but voters were still waiting for the jobs, higher incomes and economic opportunities that formed a central part of his promise of transformation. "The floods are now his first major test of whether that goodwill can survive a genuine crisis," Braun said.