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On August 26, a glacier on the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet autonomous region collapsed, triggering a disaster floods that have now claimed more than 1,250 lives and left thousands of people missingaccording to the UN office in Nepal.
The UN’s local humanitarian team estimated that 84,270 Nepalis – or 19,284 households – were affected by the floods.
The number of victims is very large
Across the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading regions of northern Nepal, critical infrastructure such as roads, schools, power lines and water systems were damaged or destroyedwhile many survivors lost their homes and family members.
Working closely with Nepal’s emergency operations, the UN aims to help families buy essential goods, revitalize local economies, restore electricity, prevent disease outbreaks and help prepare residents for the coming winter.
Humanitarian workers will provide direct cash assistance, cold weather shelter materials, portable solar power units, water purification systems and food aid, while emergency mobile clinics will provide medical care and nutritional support.
“Families have lost everything: their loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods, swept away in a matter of minutes,” said Lila Pieters Yahia, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal.
“Working under the leadership of the Government, This call will provide cash, shelter, healthcare, clean water and protection for the hardest-to-reach communities before winter comes.”
In a country where 24 percent of gross domestic product comes from agriculture, and half of that comes from animal husbandry, according to the World Bank, aid teams will even help local residents keep surviving animals alive and safe.
Inflow of UNICEF assistance
But the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is not waiting, and neither are other UN agencies, as they support rescue teams still racing to find survivors.
On Friday, a flight supported by UNICEF and the European Union brought 84 metric tons of humanitarian supplies landed in the capital Kathmandu.
UNICEF staff walk through destroyed streets in a city in Nepal devastated by floods.
The children’s agency will distribute diarrhea treatment kits, water tanks, hygiene kits, water treatment supplies, winter clothing and learning materials – which it says will support hundreds of thousands of people.
“This delivery will help us provide much-needed support and reach children and families with services that protect their health, well-being and future,” said Alice Akunga, UNICEF representative in Nepal.
Humanitarian partners have mobilized and transported relief goods to some of the worst-affected areas, with a primary focus on disease prevention and repair of critical infrastructure.
In the days following the flood, UNICEF has allocated emergency supplies and helped build child-friendly spaces with recreational materials for children most affected by the disaster.
“Ongoing support is critical to help children recover, stay healthy, return to learning, and rebuild their lives in the weeks and months ahead,” Akunga said. “Because the scale of the disaster is very large, the need remains significant and every day matters.”
