In the aftermath of the devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal’s Jajarkot and Rukum districts, INF Nepal has been actively engaged in providing urgent relief to the affected communities.
According to the latest Situation Report from Disaster Preparedness Network, Nepal, the earthquake resulted in the tragic loss of 153 lives, with 357 reported injuries. A total of 26,557 houses were completely destroyed, and 35,455 were partially damaged. The disaster significantly harmed crucial infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, healthcare centres, and administrative structures.
Despite challenges such as shortages of oxygen cylinders and adequate hospital beds, security forces and medical teams swiftly conducted rescue and relief operations. Demonstrating high-level concern, the President and Prime Minister of Nepal personally visited the affected areas, providing direct oversight of the ongoing relief operations. The government swiftly released a relief package of NPR 100 million to bolster these efforts, earmarked explicitly for search and rescue endeavours. Notably, foreign governments and international organisations have expressed solidarity by extending their support or affirming their commitment to aid the affected communities in immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation initiatives.
INF Nepal has regularly coordinated with provincial, district, and local government authorities and has been on the ground since day one. INF has been actively engaged in the immediate distribution of relief items, fostering collaboration with diverse government and non-government stakeholders and positioning itself for the impacted communities’ extensive recovery and rehabilitation needs.
Here are some of INF’s response activities:
- Food Distribution: On 6th November, INF Nepal distributed ready-to-eat food items, including noodles, biscuits, nutrition food, and beaten rice, to 100 families in Nalgad Municipality Ward No. 6, Jajarkot.
- Essential Relief Items: On 11th November, INF Nepal distributed 100 tarpaulins, 300 warm caps, 1200 square meters of mattresses, 2400 meters of ropes, and 200 warm blankets to 150 families in Nalgad Municipality Ward No. 8, Jajarkot.
- Fiber Blanket Distribution: On 12th November, 200 fibre blankets were distributed in Bheri Municipality Ward 6, Jajarkot.
- Disability Support: INF Nepal is collaborating with the National Federation of Disabled–Nepal (NFDN) Surkhet to address the needs of persons with disability.
INF Nepal’s short-term plan
- Winterisation package distribution: With the winter season underway and reported deaths among earthquake-affected individuals in temporary shelters due to cold weather, INF is gearing up to address the situation. The initiative involves distributing winterisation packages containing warm blankets, pillows, bed covers, mattresses, and warm caps. This effort targets 500 families, with 300 in Jajarkot and 200 in West Rukum, aiming for completion by the end of the first week of December 2023.
- Beneficiary finalisation: A team will be deployed to Jajarkot and West Rukum to finalise beneficiaries and assess the number of persons with disabilities.
- Shelter construction training: A three-day training programme for staff and volunteers will enhance immediate shelter construction capabilities.
- CGI sheet support: INF Nepal aims to provide CGI sheet support for immediate shelter construction for 50 houses in Jajarkot.
As INF Nepal remains committed to providing immediate relief and contributing to long-term recovery efforts, the organisation seeks support from its partners to address the urgent and evolving needs of the affected communities.