HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
75 per cent of the 712,135 households whose homes destroyed or damaged across 14 priority districts have received emergency shelter assistance. However, there remain many households in remote locations which are yet to be reached.
Access to affected communities is more challenging with the start of the monsoon season. This poses logistical challenges for relief agencies in the distribution of shelter materials and increases community vulnerability to landslides and fl ooding.
A further challenge will be the imminent closure of UNHAS transport services at the end of August owing to funding shortfalls (75% of which are for shelter relief items). Urgent additional funding is sort to deliver 400 metric tons’ backlog of shelter items before winter. Corrugated iron (CGI) sheeting is the most important item for improving temporary shelters and for commencing the reconstruction process. Currently, only 28% of the affected population has received CGI or the cash equivalent from Shelter Cluster partners. With winter ahead, the need for CGI will become more urgent and displaced families are likely to require additional non-food items suitable for the change of season. There is also an urgent need for households to receive information about techniques to improve their temporary shelter, to ensure they are able to make the best use of CGI and other materials both to withstand the rainy season and to prepare for cold conditions.