Dibya Raj Poudel
Kathmandu, 15 August 2014
The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) is carrying out support activities and Non-food relief (NFRI) item distribution for 204 families in the Mankha, Ramche, Dhuskun, and Tekanapur areas of Sindhupalchok. The situation led people in 11 other districts to abandon their homes in river bank to safe areas over the days. Mr. Talchabhadel, president of Sindhupalchok Red Cross branch and other volunteers from the Red Cross branch and National Headquarters are meeting people directly affected by the landslide. In addition Red Cross team is involved as a part of local emergency disaster management team lead by local authorities.
Sunkoshi River is still blocked by 400 meter high earthen dam due to landslide on 2 August, 2014 in Jure area of Ramche VDC of Sindhupalchok district. Technicians and security force of Nepal Goverment are trying to open the virtual earthen dam from the river and maintain the river course. The artificial lake due to river blockage has imposed risk to the upstream areas and outburst floods in the downstream areas.
The Nepal Red Cross is extremely concerned about the plight of people in need of assistance and protection as a result of landslide and river blockage in Sindhupalchok. It is urgent that aid reaches people. Food, shelter, safe water, latrine, education of children are critical needs at the site. 18 houses are still under water in the artificial lake.
Nepal army, Nepal Police, Armed Police force and Red Cross rescue teams and other about 100 organisations are providing humanitarian support to the affected people in Mankha village -1, Dhuskun village-3, Ramche village- 4,5 and 9 and Tekanpur village - 3 and 4.
33 dead bodies were recovered from the landslide area. Government officials have assumed that other over 120 people who went missing is dead.
Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) mobilised 20 trained volunteers and staff on disaster management, rapid assessment, first aid and missing cases from the first day of the disaster. NRCS has kept its' first responders like National Disaster Response Teams (NDRT), Community Action for Disaster Response in Emergency (CADRE), District Disaster Response Team (DDRT), and First Aid team in high alert position in NHQs, Bhaktapur, and Kabhrepalanchock area also. Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA) works have been completed. And the first phase of relief item support work of NRCS has also been completed. Report received from NRCS team mentions that 165 families (476 people) have been displaced. Among those displaced persons, 125 persons are staying at Sunkoshi Tukisan, 100 at Barbise, 68 at Itani, 111 at APF Lamasangu and 32 at Mankha.
Number of injured were 29 and 227 families are mostly affected. NRCS volunteers provided first aid to the wounded immediately and they were transferred to hospitals in Kathmandu via ambulance and helicopter with the support of Nepal army.
"Because we had a disaster management team at the disaster site in Jure, we offered to provide non-food items needed immediately for the most severely affected people," said Rajendra Rokaha, a member of the NRCS team in landslide area. He added that the first relief packet was provided to a mother of a 2-month-old baby. The packet contained clothes, bucket, tarpaulin, blanket, cooking utensil and other goods needed immediately. NRCS has distributed such packets to 204 affected families.
Local emergency management Committee has distributed beneficiary identity card with three catagories as per detail assessment report. Among them, there are 7 pregnant women and 11 women with infant. Additionally, there are 2 children who lost all rest of the family members and are in mentally stressed situation. No members of 8 families (33 people) are found, that denote they were lost totally. 129 families need Psycho social support immediately.
NRCS HQs has delivered additional 100 set of NFRIs, 100 blankets, 100 tarpaulins and 4 readymade tents to support to the displaced families. In addition, the NRCS provided to local governent personnel in affected area 65 dead body bags, globes and masks, hygiene kits, and 100 bottles of Clorine Solution (Puyush). Food stuffs, clothes and other supports are reaching in the affected area through support of various agencies. Local government authorities have maintained central distribution system. Gorkha Brewery handed over 15000 pieces of noodle. Likewise, Care Nepal provided 130 pairs of torch cell and 130 mats as logistic support.The support is being collected.
After detail assessment report made public, NRCS will carry further interventions needed there. Remoteness, lack of coordination and continuous rain is hindering the support works.
In the meanwhile, NRCS volunteers are alerting people at high risk area along the riverside downstream of the Koshi River particularly in Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Udayapur, Khotang, Saptari, sindhuli and Sunsari districts.
The NRCS remains in contact with the government authorities both at the headquarters and in the field since support, coordination and communication issues still needs to be strengthened including further streamlining the operation procedures.