1. At a Glance

“We are the first generation to be able to end poverty, and the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.” Ban Ki-moon Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

Over half a billion children are living in areas with extremely high levels of floods and nearly 160 million children live in areas of high or extremely high droughts.1 The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 26% of the annual 6.6 million deaths of children under-five are linked to environment-related causes and conditions.2 Children are also disproportionately affected by pollution, not only in terms of death rates, but also in terms of cognitive and physical development.3 This report illustrates that environmental causes also have an impact on whether children are pushed to work and on the kind of work they engage in, the conditions of work, exposure to dangerous toxicants and the risk of exploitation. However, the report raises more questions than it answers as it is one of the first reports addressing the question, how environmental degradation and climate change affect the vulnerability of children towards exploitation. Data on child labour is available, though by far not sufficient to understand all relevant root causes and dynamics. Only some data on effects of climate change and environmental degradation is available, mainly on health issues. Further research and awareness of the relationship between environmental changes and child labour are thus necessary to avoid that the respective policies and programmes fall short of achieving their objectives.

— The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) remains largely absent from climate- and environmental related policies, action, investments and dialogue. This is even more noticeable when it comes to specific issues, such as child labour.
Children should be placed at the centre of inter national and national climate strategies and the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration when designing, implementing and monitoring environmental and labour policies and developing mitigation and adaption strategies.

• The five case studies in Nepal, India, Burkina Faso, Peru and Nicaragua show that environmental changes acted as root causes or exacerbated existing root causes pushing children to work, worsen their conditions of work, migrate or even engage in more hazardous forms of work. However, not all environmental changes had the same impact on child labour:
— The case of Burkina Faso shows that climate change in the Sahel region leads to unpredictable weather patterns and soil depletion, which forces families to seek alternative sources of income. A combination of poor livelihood conditions, low quality education and lack of decent work opportunities for young people and adults as well as the recent gold rush have caused children to work under dangerous and harmful conditions in the gold mines.
— The example of India shows that especially migrant children are increasingly trapped in hazardous forms of labour because their families flee from environmental stress in their home districts in the state of Odhisa. Due to climate change, the duration of this seasonal migration has extended from three to six months, which denies the children access to quality education. Moreover, the example shows that this group of migrants is hardly reached by development and government programmes. They are left behind although the area generally shows a positive development with a decrease of child labour.
— The case study on Nepal illustrates how slow onset events such as changing rainfall patterns threaten those who depend on the agricultural sector forcing children to look for sources of income to assist their families. Extreme shocks such as the 2015 earthquake deteriorate existing patterns of exploitation dramatically. Seasonal migration is an adaptation strategy for many families as it reduces reliance on agriculture livelihoods.

4 August 2017

The map shows the affected districts, number of death, missing, injured, affected families, displaced families, houses fully destroyed and houses partially destroyed

Source/Methodolgy: Map data sources: NEOC, NRCS, INGOs: Geodata: GIST, ESRI, DoS/GoN

Sector: Disaster Risk Management

Author: IMU/RCO

13 August 2017

The map shows the affected districts, number of death, missing, injured, affected families, displaced families, houses fully destroyed and houses partially destroyed

Source/Methodolgy: Map data sources: NEOC, NRCS, INGOs: Geodata: GIST, ESRI, DoS/GoN

Sector: Disaster Risk Management

Author: IMU/RCO

Kuala Lumpur / Kathmandu / Geneva, 13 August 2017— Red Cross volunteers and emergency teams are searching for survivors as flash floods and landslides have submerged thousands of homes in several parts of Nepal, mostly in the south of the country.

The floods and landslides have claimed at least 53 lives over the past three days, in the Terai region bordering India and other areas of Nepal, according to the Government of Nepal. Dozens more are missing or injured.

“We are urgently rushing help to the survivors. Hundreds of volunteers from Nepal Red Cross Society are working with local people, local security forces and emergency teams to rescue people and evacuate them to safety,” said Dev Ratna Dhakhwa, Secretary General, Nepal Red Cross Society.

The flooding and landslides have cut communications and electricity in many affected areas. Many roads are submerged or covered by debris from landslides, providing further challenges to rescue efforts.

“Monsoon rains and floods in the past two weeks have affected more than 100,000 people. First aid and relief supplies have been provided around the clock by hundreds of volunteers from the Nepal Red Cross Society,” said Mr Dhakhwa.

“We are distributing relief supplies, including tarpaulins, cooking utensils, food and water to those suffering and displaced people whose homes have been damaged or destroyed, including women, children and the elderly,” Mr Dhakhwa explained.

The Nepal Red Cross Society is also working with local authorities to warn thousands of people of further threats from rising rivers and further landslides.

Most of the rivers in Nepal have risen to dangerous levels due to recent heavy rainfall. The rain is expected to continue in the coming days according to the Nepal Meteorological Forecasting Division, raising fears that the rivers will threaten to wash more villages away.

For more information, contact:

In Nepal

Dibya Raj Poudel, Head of Communications, Nepal Red Cross Society
Mob: +977 9851191968
Dharma Raj Pandey, Head, Disaster Management Department, Nepal Red Cross Society
Mob: +977 9851130168, dharma.pandey@nrcs.org

In Kuala Lumpur

Antony Balmain, Communications Manager, Asia Pacific
Mob: +60 122308451, antony.balmain@ifrc.org

In Geneva

Matthew Cochrane, Manager, Media and Advocacy/Spokesperson
Mob: +41 79 251 8039, matthew.cochrane@ifrc.org

Sunday, 13 August 2017 10:07 GMT

The heavy rain, which mainly hit the country's southern plains, led to the evacuation of 5,000 people

KATHMANDU, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Torrential rain battered Nepal on Sunday, causing widespread flooding and landslides and raising the death toll from three days of severe weather to 49 people, according to officials.

Read more on the Thomson Reuters Foundation

Severe flooding is devastating Nepal’s main food-producing region, swamping farm fields, sweeping away thousands of livestock and displacing families. The disaster is threatening to cause a serious food shortage in the South Asian nation.

“More than 15,000 farming families that we work with in southern Nepal are suffering from the flash flooding, and we believe the number will rise as we reestablish contact with communities that have been cut off. Many have had to flee their homes, and they lack food and water,” said Sumnima Shrestha, a spokeswoman for Heifer International, a U.S.-based nonprofit working to end poverty with sustainable agriculture and economic development.

“The heavy rains hit at one of the worst times in southern Nepal, shortly after farmers planted their rice crop in the country’s most important agricultural region,” said Shrestha, who is based in Nepal. “The rice will likely be lost. Making matters worse, thousands of livestock have disappeared in the flash flooding. The loss of grain and animals could set Nepal up for a severe shortage of food.”

Many of the displaced families Heifer works with are staying in schools, tents or community buildings. Roads are submerged and bridges are impassable, cutting off transport to the affected areas. “Phone service to many of our project sites has been cut, leaving us unable to reach our field staff and partners,” Shrestha said. “We will likely receive more reports of severe damage as the communication lines reopen in the coming days.”

For more information, contact:
Sumnima Shrestha, sumnima.shrestha@heifer.org
Bill Foreman, +1 501-541-5063, bill.foreman@heifer.org

ABOUT HEIFER INTERNATIONAL Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more than 70 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in nearly 30 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self-reliant. Heifer’s goal is to help 4 million families achieve living incomes by 2020, which will allow them to feed their families daily; educate all their children; and have proper housing, water, hygiene and other essential resources. For information, visit Heifer.org, read our blog, follow us on Facebook, on Twitter or call 888.5HUNGER (888.548.6437).

26 of Nepal's 75 districts either submerged or hit by landslides

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Elephants helped rescue hundreds of tourists from a flooded jungle safari park in Nepal, officials said on Monday, as the death toll from flash floods and landslides after four days of heavy rain rose to 70.

Read more on the Thomson Reuters Foundation

• Heavy monsoon rains over the past two days, coupled with a rush of water from upstream, have caused high levels of flooding in low-lying and char (river island) areas in 10 districts of the northern and eastern part of Bangladesh. Some of these districts are experiencing a second or third spell of flooding since the onset of the monsoon in June. Many areas remain cut off due to breaches of embankments and roads.

• Initial reports indicate 18 deaths and over half a million people affected by the floods in the last 24 hours. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief more than 176 430 people are taking shelter in 964 relief camps. Large numbers are also sheltering on embankments or with host families.

• Most major rivers are flowing above their danger mark, with a rising trend. The situation may worsen as more rain is forecasted in both Bangladesh and in upper catchment areas in India and Nepal.

• The GoB has allocated BDT 3.1 million (EUR 32 500), 1 216 MTs rice and 46 000 packets of dry foods to address the immediate relief need.

The Situation

Due to continuous rainfall in different parts of the country, approximately 100,000 people in 31 districts have been affected by the floods and landslides in the last two weeks. Nepal Red Cross Society's (NRCS) disaster situation report informed that 19,819 families across 19 districts have been severely affected due to floods and landslides during this period. While writing this information bulletin, 64 people have lost their lives, 44 injured and 16 are still missing. At least 1,900 families are displaced due to damage of their houses. Approximately 2,881 houses are either partially or fully damaged. NRCS has already deployed 448 Red Cross volunteers including District Disaster Response Team (DDRT) members, trained First Aid and National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) members on the ground for immediate response.

The floods and landslides have damaged infrastructure such as roads connecting district headquarters to the affected village development committees (VDCs), bridges, culverts, local markets, transport vehicles, livestock, crops and daily consumables.

Based on Nepali government’s weather forecast, the rain is expected to continue until Monday evening in many areas nationwide including the 31 flood affected districts. Most of the rivers across the country have crossed the danger mark due to incessant rainfall since the last 48 hours. According to the Metrological Forecasting Division (MFD) of Nepali government, the rainfall will continue for several more days which potentially resulting to the increase of water level of major rivers.

Following the disaster, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) district chapters immediately deployed 448 trained volunteers to conduct rapid assessments and provide relief services to the affected people. However, their access to the affected areas were restricted due to the inundation of entire villages and blocked roads. On the other hand, volunteers are facing problems in identifying and managing the temporary evacuation centers due to scarce availability of public places and safe places in comparison to the large number of displaced people.

Forward

Education unlocks the potential of young minds, and helps new generations realise their dreams for the future. However, we are facing a global education crisis. Millions of children are out of school, or in school but not learning. We must put education at the top of the agenda.

Norway has played a key role in pushing the international community to take decisive action to address the learning crisis, politically and financially. We are a strong supporter of the Sustainable Development Goals and we were instrumental in initiating the Education Commission.

We cannot effectively address the global learning gap without sufficient funding. We have therefore substantially increased Norway’s financial contribution to education. In the period 2013-2016, international development assistance from Norway helped to provide education for five times as many girls and boys as there are students in Norwegian primary education.

Half of these boys and girls live in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Investing in girls’ education is one of the best investments that can be made in sustainable, equitable communities. Education helps protect girls from abuse and enables women to contribute fully to society and to economic growth. The time has come for the global community to work together and provide real learning opportunities for every girl and boy.

Quality education is essential for eradicating poverty.

ERNA SOLBERG
Prime Minister of Norway

Children pay the highest price in wars. Armed conflict is a major obstacle to education: not only because of the violence and destruction it involves, but also because it reinforces barriers to education such as poverty and discrimination. Norway has taken on a leading role in mobilizing support for education for all, in accordance with the SDGs.

Today, only a handful of countries include education aid in their humanitarian policy. Between 2013 and 2016, Norway increased the share of humanitarian funding to education from two to nine per cent, exceeding the UN target of four per cent. Norway also played a key role in establishing the Education Cannot Wait fund in order to meet the education needs of children and young people affected by emergencies. Furthermore, to protect schools, students and teachers in armed conflicts, we have supported the Safe Schools Declaration, which has so far been endorsed by 66 countries.

Importantly, we are also increasing the focus on the transition from school to employment – because ensuring education and employment opportunities for young people is the key to stability and economic growth.

Norway will continue to advocate quality education for the world’s most marginalized children. We have taken many steps in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go.

BØRGE BRENDE
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affair

• Susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to price fluctuations in agriculture-dependent regions, civil unrest, challenging geography and poor infrastructure have contributed to persistent food insecurity in Nepal. Since a decade-long civil war ended in 2006, Nepal has made slow social progress, with much of its population still in poverty. According to the UN World Food Program, one-quarter of the nation’s population lives on $1.25 or less per day.

• On April 25, 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and displacing more than 58,000. The earthquake and its aftershocks severely affected food security in the country, leaving more than 1.4 million people in need of food assistance in all earthquake-affected areas.

• While food security has generally improved across Nepal since 2015, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) reports that several areas, particularly in the mountains of the central and mid- and far-western regions, remain food insecure. According to the UN World Health Organization, 40 percent of children under five in Nepal are stunted, 29 percent are underweight and 11 percent are wasted. In 2017, FAO expects that increased cereal production and increased income from agricultural activities will improve the food security situation of subsistence farmers in the areas most affected by the earthquake.

RESPONSE

• The Office of Food for Peace (FFP) partners with Mercy Corps through its five-year resilience-focused development program—Promoting Agriculture, Health and Alternative Livelihoods (PAHAL)—targeting 1 million beneficiaries in communities with high poverty and malnutrition rates in 14 districts of Nepal’s mid- and far-western regions. PAHAL aims to improve the nutritional status of its beneficiaries by strengthening livelihoods and increasing the capacity of vulnerable households to prevent, mitigate, adapt to and recover from shocks and stresses.

• FFP also partners with Save the Children (SCF) to implement Sabal, a five-year community resilience program that targets 1 million beneficiaries in 11 districts of Nepal’s central and eastern regions. After the April 2015 earthquake, FFP and SCF modified Sabal to expand its coverage and focus on strengthening the abilities of households and communities to adapt to shocks.

This map shows the status of death, missing, injured, district affected and household destroyed

Author: IMU/RCO

Note:

These charts indicate the building typology in 14 most affected districts and 17 affected districts as reported by Nepal Rreconstruction Authority (NRA) household survey conducted by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Nepal in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 11 August 2017 to 14 August 2017.

Highlights

• Beginning on 11 August 2017, the worst rains in 15 years struck Nepal, triggering widespread large-scale flooding and landslides in 27 of the country's 75 districts.

• Search and rescue efforts have been initiated in all affected districts. A total of 8,300 trained security forces (5,600 Nepal Police, 1,700 Armed Police Force and 1,000 Nepal Army) as well as 700 civil servants have been deployed.

• The full extent of the disaster is not yet known. Many affected areas remain inaccessible due to damaged roads and bridges, while Biratnagar airport in the east of is completely inundated.

• While heavy rains have subsided, warnings remain in place for the East Rapti, West Rapti, Babai and Ruikhola (Madi) basins, and moderate to heavy rains are forecast on 16-17 August 2017.

66 Dead

35 Missing

35 Injured

NEPAL

Heavy rainfall across many parts of Nepal has caused severe flooding and landslides. As of 14 August, 66 people are known to have died and 35 people are missing. The Government of Nepal has reported that 27 districts have been affected with the southern Terai region most acutely impacted. Many affected areas are inaccessible, but the Ministry of Home Affairs estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have been affected. Rescue and relief efforts are currently underway, with the Government providing assistance, while Clusters have mobilized and begun delivering assistance under the coordination of the Government.

AFGHANISTAN

From January to 13 August 2017, nearly 193,000 people have been displaced by conflict in Afghanistan, up by 10,000 compared with the previous week [snapshot]. The largest caseload of displaced people – 62,000 people - live in the Northern and North-Eastern regions. Across the country, displacement has been reported in 174 of the 399 districts.

MYANMAR

Fighting between the Myanmar Military and Kachin Independence Army erupted on 10 August near Kasung village in Moegaung Township, Kachin State, displacing over 1,000 people to Namti town, according to local NGOs. There are reports that the fighting has resulted in civilian casualties. Those displaced are staying at two church sites in Namti, where they are receiving food, drinking water and other relief supplies from local churches and NGOs, as well as from state authorities, the Myanmar Red Cross Society and the UN.

BANGLADESH

Flooding has affected the eastern, southern and northern regions of Bangladesh. As of 14 August, 12 deaths have been confirmed, including six children. An estimated 586,000 people in 356 unions of 20 upazilas have been affected. The Government has opened 973 emergency flood shelters, hosting an estimated 68,500 people. The waters of 23 rivers have risen beyond the danger line and further heavy rain and an increased risk of landslides is forecast for coming days. The Government has allocated 31 million BDT and 10,630 MT of rice to flood-affected districts. A joint Humanitarian Coordination Team working group, comprising UN agencies, Government and civil society partners, is monitoring the situation and working to support and complement the Government’s efforts.

INDONESIA

On 13 August at 10:08am local time, an earthquake of 6.4 MW occurred 71 km southwest of North Bengkulu, at sea. The shake was strongly felt in North Bengkulu, South Bengkulu, and Lubuk Linggau District; and was felt to a lesser degree in Padang City, Kerinci District and in Tua Pejat, Mentawai Islands. As of 13 August, BNPB with input from BPBD (local authority for disaster management) reported no casualties or damage to buildings.

By Gopal Sharma and Ruma Paul

KATHMANDU/DHAKA, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal, Bangladesh and India have killed more than 160 people in the last week, officials said on Tuesday, as authorities rushed to rescue those missing or stranded in flooded areas.

In Nepal, the death toll rose to 115 amid more flash floods and landslides, with 38 people missing. Relief workers said 26 of Nepal's 75 districts were either submerged or had been hit by landslides after rain lashed the Himalayan nation.

Read the full article on Reuters.

A. SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the disaster

Several districts of Nepal have experienced an increase of monsoon precipitations in the last weeks. The torrential rain continued between 11 and 14 August 2017 causing massive floods and several landslides in 31 districts throughout the country, of which 19 districts are severely affected.

According to the Nepal Red Cross Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA) reports received from the affected districts as of 13 August 2017, a total of 27,861 families (139,300 people) have been affected, of which 6,247 families (47,350 people) are displaced. Some 2,964 houses are completed destroyed and 8,344 are partially damaged.

The report indicates that 64 people are confirmed dead; 16 people are still missing; and 44 people have been injured. The numbers have been increasing day by day and is likely to continue as some of the affected areas are challenging to access.

Life has been adversely affected due to continuous rise in the water levels of major rivers in Terai districts, caused by incessant rainfall in the last couple of days. The floods and landslides have damaged infrastructure such as; roads connecting district headquarters to the affected village development committees (VDCs), bridges, culverts, local markets, transport vehicles, livestock; crops and daily consumables.

A.1: Flood situation (Trasns border linkages- UP stream and Downstream)

Of the 16 mighty rivers whose water level was monitored on Saturday, at least 14 were flowing either above the danger-mark or showed a rising trend in the districts they flow by.

The number of flood-hit districts in UP has risen to 16 with more than 4.6 lakh people hit by the natural calamity.

Sate government has taken note of the trend and reiterated directions to be on 24-hour vigil to the district magistrates of the affected areas. Flood alert has been issued to 40 districts. Flood control room and flood police stations (chowkis) have been ordered to function round-theclock and to keep a substantial number of boats ready to rescue people from the villages cutoff by the deluge.

Lakhimpur-Kheri, Bahraich, Gonda, Barabanki, Bijnore, Sitapur, Deoria, Faizabad, Mirzapur, Mau, Farrukhabad, Pilibhit, Ambedkarnagar, Badaun, Kushinagar and Basti are affected.

Sharda is flowing about 1.1metre above the mark in Palia Kalan in Lakhimpur-Kheri, while Ghaghra has breached the mark at Elgin Bridge, Barabanki, Ayodhya in Faizabad and Turtipaar in Ballia. Ganga has breached the danger mark at Narora, Bulandshahr flowing at least 0.05 metre above the danger mark.

Rivers very close to the red-mark, i.e. flowing within 0.5 metres from the mark on Saturday, were Ganga at Fatehgarh, Sharda at Shardanagar, Rohin at Maharajganj and Boodhi Rapti at Siddharthnagar.

The downstream condition is getting dangerous and currently severedistricts are affected Gonda and Bahraich. As per views of The DDMA Gonda. That 14 Meter Elgin charsadi embankment has breached. The currently situation of the embankment erosion continue in Karnailganj block of the district gonad.
As per news paper 224 Hamlets are surrounded through the flood water in Karnailganj Tehsil, District Gonda. Most affected blocks are Karnailganj and Paraspur. The Bahuwan Madar Manjha and Charsadi gram panchayats are situated in Paraspur block and it’s also more vulnerable panchayats in the Paraspur block.
The reasons are rising flood water in downstream areas that heavy rainfall in upstream areas and also the water 1.75 lac cusec discharged by Girijapuri Barrage in Ghaghara River. As per telephonic discussion with JEs of Barrages about update information collection of discharging water from the barrages and they have updated that they are discharging 134434 lac cusec water from Girijapuri barrage, 84635 cusec water from Sharda Barrage and 40353 cusec water from Gopiya Barrage at 7:00 PM.
These water will be loaded by tomorrow morning in the blocks of Mihipurawa, Shivpur,
Mahsi and it will effect Kaisarganj subdivision by tomorrow afternoon in the district Bahraich. The water will be loaded most in Karnailganj & Paraspur, district Gonda by tomorrow evening. The already flooded areas will be face more challenging situation by tomorrow evening.

1- Shrawsti: Jamunha, Gilaula , Bhinga, Hariharpur Rani & Ekauna blocks are affected. 123 villages affected and 55 submerged also. Currently Approximately more than 90,000 populations affected. Bhinga and Bahraich road eroded yesterday night and transportation has been congested .

2- Bahraich: (Worst affected bocks Shivpur, Mahsi, Mihipurwa, Kaisarganj & Fakharpu r – expected population affected approximately more than 125,000, 100 GPs, 137 villages, 250 hamlets, affected 37 submerged in Shivpur and Mahsi Blocks.

3 - Gonda: The Karnailganj, Paraspur & Nawabganj blocks are affected, 498 hamlets affected and more than 80,000 populations affected.

4- Lakhimpur khiri: 25 villages

5- Mirjapur: 13 villages

6- Deoria: 9 villages

7- Faizabad: 10 villages nearest of Nwabganj block, Gonda

8- Basti: block Vikramjot and 17 villages affected

9- Piliphit: 22 villages

10- Kushingar: 39 villages

11- Gorakhpur: 13 villages (4 villages, Barhalganj, 1 Sahjnwa, 4 others)

Source: Media, Local administration & IAG-UP members