The shock and destruction is still occurring, a day after the Himalayan flood disaster

Key points

• Hundreds of people are still missing after devastating floods in Nepal and China
• The $2 million fund was released by the UN’s emergency aid chief
• The World Health Organization (WHO) sent medicine, supplies and tents

Initial funding of $2 million has been released from the UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF) “to save lives with emergency medical care, shelter, water”, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said on X.

In Nepal, urgent humanitarian needs are great in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts and communities face major challenges as families face loss, displacement and disruption to essential services.

The UN Secretary General promised immediate support.

“The United Nations is mobilizing humanitarian supplies and teams and we pledge to support national efforts to provide emergency relief and support,” Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

17,000 children were affected

Flash floods have wiped out or cut off power to entire communities, with roads, bridges, hydroelectric facilities, water systems and telecommunications networks severely damaged, leaving most of the affected areas inaccessible and hampering the delivery of life-saving aid, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)UNICEF) said on Thursday.

At least 17,000 children were affected by the devastating flash floods that hit Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts in Nepal.

“Children in Rasuwa and Dhading saw their lives wiped out before their eyes in a very short time, with homes, classrooms and medical facilities damaged,” said Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative to Nepal.

“Too many people have lost their lives and loved ones. With the death toll continuing to rise, we know this tragedy is far from over. Children who survived the floods now face a higher risk of disease, malnutrition, violence and exploitation.”

Meanwhile, UNICEF is on the ground and increasing its support, “but we urgently need more resources to reach every child in need,” Akunga said.

Still missing

“UN agencies are deployed to affected areas with food, medical supplies and relief materials to support the government-led response and are ready to do more,” the UN office in Nepal wrote on Facebook.

In China, some 560 people remained missing, according to authorities, while the United Nations office in the country on Wednesday reported damage and a large number of fatalities and destruction in China’s Tibet autonomous region.

Meanwhile, to support authorities and the broader response, WHO has sent an inter-agency emergency health package, containing enough medicines and supplies to provide basic health services to 10,000 people. The UN health agency has also provided six multipurpose tents to help maintain health service delivery in affected communities.

“This supply is intended to support frontline health workers as they continue to provide critical care and respond to the urgent health needs of the affected population,” the UN agency said in a statement. Facebook.

New implementation

“WHO remains committed to working with health authorities and partners to assess the developing situation, support emergency health services and help ensure that people continue to access the services they need during this difficult time.”

Additionally on Thursday, the UN World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) plan to start deploying staff and trucks carrying relief supplies.

Efforts also continue to be made to quickly assess the scale of the disaster, in particular from secure satellite imagery and analysis of flood-affected areas, provided by the UN platform for Space-Based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (NOT SPIDERS). Managed by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), this initiative connects disaster management experts with space agencies to assist with disaster risk reduction, early warning and emergency response activities.

Collapsing glacier

The collapse of a glacier in a steep Himalayan valley has been cited as a possible cause of flash floods and landslides that suddenly destroyed entire communities and washed away bridges and roads.

Rasuwa district about 80 kilometers north of Kathmandu in northern Nepal was worst affected, including the towns of Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi, which are popular trekking destinations among tourists, climbers and pilgrims wanting to access the Langtang valley.

The area was also hit by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale in April 2015 which killed more than 8,800 people. Last October, heavy rains caused major flooding and landslides in eastern and central Nepal, affecting more than 30,000 people.

Increased risk of disaster

UNDRRThe UN’s main body for coordinating disaster risk reduction, projects that the world will experience 560 medium to large scale disasters annually by 2030.

“Global disasters are projected to increase by 40 percent between 2015 and 2030, driven by climate change and risk underestimation,” the agency said.

In addition to the loss of life from these disasters, annual losses reach $2.29 trillion and will continue to rise if indirect impacts and impacts on ecosystems are taken into account, the UNDRR said. This figure is almost 10 times the annual direct losses reported in official figures.