Geneva, 22 July 2013
1. Brief description of the emergency and impact Continuous rainfall since Thursday, 18 July 2013 has resulted in extensive flooding in Dhangadhi Municipality, as well as most of the villages of 13 Village Development Committees (VDCs) - eleven in Kailali and two in Kanchanpur district. According to preliminary information 5,469 households have been affected of which 1,829 households have been displaced due to the inundation.
Floodwaters from rivers have waterlogged the Dhangadhi municipality and its adjoining areas, while lack of a proper sewage system has exacerbated the situation causing serious health concerns. Police have rescued more than 300 families from Dhangadhi Municipality and adjoining villages and moved them to nearby schools. According to the District Chapter of the Nepal Red Cross nearly 3,000 households have lost all their household belongings, domestic animals and poultry and displaced families are taking shelter in local school buildings or relatives’ houses.
2. Why is an ACT response needed? The rainfall and resulting floods since June have been the worst in 30 years and damaged not only infrastructure but seriously disrupted and even destroyed the livelihoods of the poorest and most oppressed, such as the ex-kamaiya (freed bonded labourers) families. Many of the flood affected villages and municipalities are within the operational area of ACT Alliance Nepal Forum members. ACT members are well known in the area and often requested to assist government relief operations during an emergency.
3. National and international response The District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) of Kailali district has initiated a needs assessment and district based IASC clusters have also joined the assessment process. The Government of Nepal has announced some relief assistance for the affected families to be channelled through the DDRC. The District Chapter of the Nepal Red Cross, other humanitarian agencies and local clubs and social organizations have started to deliver ready to eat food, some non-food items and hygiene kits. In spite of the urgent need, food, non-food items and shelter needs have not been addressed to date. The DDRC meeting appealed to all humanitarian organisations for the necessary support, focussing on food, non-food items, WASH kits and reconstruction materials. Alert Nr. 26/2013 – Nepal Floods 2
- ACT Alliance response & planned activities** ACT members DanChurchAid (DCA) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are assessing the situation in the affected districts and closely following developments. Should the situation be further aggravated, ACT Nepal Forum members plan to assist the most severely affected and vulnerable families with life saving relief items such as food and non-food items, hygiene and emergency shelter followed by recovery initiatives such as transitional shelter and income generation activities.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org)
For further information please contact:
ACT Senior Programme Officer, Sudhanshu S. Singh (phone +41 22 791 6035 or mobile phone +41 79 285 2916) or ACT General Secretary, John Nduna (phone +41 22 791 6032)
ACT Website address: http://www.actalliance.org