Flood deaths in Nepal surpass 900 people as needs increase

Key points

• The recent flash floods are now Nepal’s deadliest natural disaster since the earthquake in April 2015
• 65,000 people need emergency water, sanitation and hygiene
• More than 10,000 people have been rescued so far, including 252 foreign nationals

Triggered by glacier collapse and landslides on Nepal’s border with China on Wednesday, This event is now the deadliest natural disaster in Nepal since the earthquake in April 2015 which killed around 9,000 people.

As search and rescue efforts continue, UN agencies are starting to assess long-term needs, including more than 22,000 children in need of protection, Dujarric said.

Struggle to reach the worst affected areas

Access remains the biggest obstacle in emergency response efforts, according to the UN emergency relief agency. Ocha.

The road is only passable as far as Nuwakot, and several sections of highways connecting Kathmandu to the worst-affected areas remained completely blocked. Power has been restored in some areas.

The Nepalese government has deployed more than 20,000 search and rescue personnel and declared a flood emergency in 15 cities, Dujarric said.

More than 10,000 people have been rescued so farincluding 252 foreign nationals.

Help improved

At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHOSpokesperson ) Tarik Jašarević said overcrowding and disruption to water, sanitation and health services increased the risk of infectious disease outbreaks.

A recent OCHA assessment paints an equally clear picture of humanitarian needs, including around 2,600 children under five estimated to need treatment for wasting – or acute malnutrition – and around 10,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women who need nutritional assistance.

Around 19 schools were damaged, nine were completely destroyed, and eight more schools were used to accommodate refugee families while more than 10,000 school-aged children require psychosocial support, OCHA reported.

Most urgently, initial reports suggest that is the case 107 children may be separated from their parents or guardiansleaving first responders to prioritize family tracing and reunification, according to Mr. Dujarric.

The disaster is not over yet

Kamal Kishore, head of the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), highlighted the unprecedented nature of the glacier collapse and warned last week that “we are still trying to get to grips with the extent of the damage.”

This disaster also affected the Tibetan side of the border Chinese authorities reported at least 16 people dead and at least 546 still missing.

UN Climate Change Chief Simon Stiell said the disaster was a reminder of how fragile the mountain environment is, and noted that scientists and local communities have been warning for years about the risks of climate change in the area.

“We also know that climate warming, fueled by the burning of large amounts of coal, oil and gas, is making tragedies like this, and many others around the world, more likely, more frequent and severe, and vulnerable communities are most impacted,” he said.

What is the UN doing?

Here is the ongoing response from UN agencies:

• The World Food Program (WFP) has delivered nearly 80 metric tons of food, reaching around 9,200 people with aid expected to last for 15 days.
• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has distributed therapeutic food to around 500 severely malnourished children and deployed 15 emergency medical teams.
• UN humanitarian partners have established a coordination center in Nuwakot to strengthen disaster response planning and information exchange among organizations on the ground.

Learn more about the UN’s efforts in Nepal Here.