Nepal
Funding appeals and humanitarian action updates
On August 18th the Koshi River in the Eastern Region of Nepal broke through an eastern retaining wall damaging two dam spurs, roughly 10 Km north of the East West Highway. A total of nine Village Development Committees in Sunsari district have been affected, three of them severely. The East West Highway which is the country’s main transport corridor remains impassable as a two-mile section of the Highway was swept away at three different points and will take sometime to repair. The latest Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) estimate is that 107,000 people have been affected by the floods. A total of 35,000 people are reported to be displaced in Sunsari and 19,000 in neighbouring Saptari district in the Eastern Region of Nepal, with children comprising up to 50 per cent of the displaced people. A total of 29 shelter sites have been established up to date to accommodate the increasing numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (DPs).
UNICEF and its partners, including sister UN agencies and international and national NGOs, are working closely with the Government of Nepal to provide immediate humanitarian relief assistance to children and women, where most needed. Yet, additional resources are required to ensure that the basic rights of children are met. This Immediate Needs Document for the amount of US$1,796,000 is based on preliminary assessments of needs to provide humanitarian assistance to children and women in affected areas.
2008 Nepal Floods - Immediate Needs Document 3 September 2008 [pdf]
Heavy seasonal monsoon rains have caused widespread flooding across South Asia devastating communities and livelihoods and causing displacement of thousands of people throughout Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Across the subcontinent around 50 million people have been affected in what has been described as among the worst flooding in years – with yet more rains forecast in coming weeks.
Relief and recovery efforts are well underway in all affected countries – however the incidence of diarrhoeal and other waterborne diseases continues to rise. Access to fresh water, food and shelter for all affected populations remains the primary concern. In addition, millions of children across the affected regions are unable to begin the new academic term as their schools have been destroyed, damaged or are being used as shelters.
UNICEF is responding in the areas of water and sanitation, health and nutrition, education, child protection, and social mobilization to meet the needs of affected children and their families.
South Asia Humanitarian Action Update 25 Sep 2007 [pdf]
