Summary:
Incessant rains in mid-August caused massive flooding and several landslides in 21 districts, the majority of the districts are in the mid-West. Landslides occurred in two more districts (Syanjha and Nuwakot) in the last week of August causing 6 deaths and displacing 27 families displaced. These events followed the massive landslide in Sindhupalchowk that occurred in the first days of August, killing 156 people and displacing 165 families.
The general situation has improved since the first week of September and flood water have receded in most of the districts. The families who were living with host families and in evacuation centers (formal and informal centers) have started to return to their homes. However, many families are still living in camps and different public places in Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet, Salyan and Sindhupalchowk districts (refer to situation of different districts. The situation continues to fluctuate and determining exact numbers of returnees is not possible at this moment.
Based on the UN habitat field visit report the relief activities are still ongoing through the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) with the support from the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and other humanitarian partners. There is an urgent need of recovery activities especially resettlement and reconstruction of shelter for the safe return of the affected population to normality. NRCS, in close coordination with DDRC, has reached over 40,000 people with relief items, as outlined in the table below. The distribution of shelter kits is still ongoing. The distribution of soap and oral rehydration solution (ORS) has been focused on five target districts (Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Surkhet and Salyan) and supported by Belgian Red Cross/Flanders.
In addition, NRCS has distributed water purifying agents to over 10,000 families, buckets to around 7,000 families from its own stock with the support of UNICEF, and hygiene kits to 1,500 families with the support from UNICEF in the five target districts. NRCS has also been carrying out water, sanitation and hygiene (WatSan/HP) social mobilization activities in these districts with the support of UNICEF. Similarly NRCS has supported the UN World Food Programme (WFP) with the distribution of 10-day food packages to 14,453 families (80,000 people) in Dang, Bardiya, Surkhet and Banke districts.