Earthquake and disaster risk reduction in Nepal

Dear friends,

Thanks to your support and contributions, we were able to successfully complete the distribution of winter thick blanket, Summer thin blanket and tarpaulin to the victim of earthquake that occurred on 3^rd of November 2023 at mid night 11:47 pm. The epicenter of the earthquake was at Ramidanda, Jajarkot district. Several aftershocks were experienced from that day terrifying local people.

 A devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck west Nepal, resulting in 136 reported deaths and 141 injuries. Jajarkot and West Rukum suffered the most damage, with 98 deaths in Jajarkot alone, including the Deputy Mayor of Nalgad Municipality. The earthquake severely impacted several areas, with 114 casualties recorded in Ramidanda of the Barekot Rural Municipality. In West Rukum, the death toll reached 38, with Aathbiskot Municipality and Sanibheri Rural Municipality being the most affected. Search and rescue operations are underway, involving security forces and three helicopters from the Nepal Army. Additionally, 55 injuries in Jajarkot and 85 in West Rukum have been reported, with some individuals being transported to Surkhet and Nepalgunj for treatment. The earthquake's impact extends to Bheri, Nalgad, Kushe, Barekot, and Chedagad in Jajarkot district.

PHASE Nepal has been supporting remote and needy communities affected by disasters with its emergency relief as well as long-term recovery programs, especially after the earthquake in 2015. Despite an earlier earthquake in Kathmandu on October 22, with no reported damage or casualties, earthquakes are common in Nepal due to the convergence of the Tibetan and Indian tectonic plates. In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks claimed around 9,000 lives. The authorities are actively engaged in addressing the immediate aftermath and providing assistance to those affected.

This recent activity in Jajarkot and Rukum by PHASE Nepal serves as a continuation of our ongoing efforts to support the community and their challenges in this winter season and our team is on alert to provide any kind of needed support to the needy people. In this update, we present our latest work on disaster risk reduction.

Here is the detail of Materials that are distributed to the victims are affected by the earthquake:

Municipality               Summer Blanket       Winter Blanket     Tarpaulin

Nalagad Municipality            70                  70                        70

Kushe Rural Municipality      60                  60                        60

Rukum west Aathbiskot         70                  70                         70

We are grateful to our donors and supporters whose contributions make these initiatives possible, allowing us to continue our mission of serving those in need. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the donors for your invaluable support, which has made a significant difference in the lives of those affected by this natural disaster. Your generosity has enabled us to make a positive impact, and we are committed to furthering our efforts in remote areas.