Earthquake and disaster risk reduction in Nepal

Maya, communication manager of PHASE Nepal, travelled to Hagam on 19 and 20 November to visit the village and asses the current situation.

Hagam region is situated in Sindhupalchok District and was badly affected by the earthquake. Around 90% of the 755 houses in the region collapsed, the health post was completely destroyed, the outreach clinic where PHASE Nepal staff worked was too dangerous to work in due to a huge landslide right next to it, most of the schools collapsed completely and many livestock were lost.

The situation, almost 7 months after the first earthquake on the 25^th of April, is still hard. Only a few houses have been rebuilt with local materials and rescued stones and wood. Most of the people are living in shelters, built with CGI-sheets, tarpaulin and rescued stones and wood from the collapsed houses. School is still taking place in TLC’s (temporary learning centres), children are taught in the open air, sitting on broken benches or on the floor. Health posts are located in shelters. With winter approaching fast and night temperatures dropping to freezing point, or below, communities are worried about the weakest members of their family: children and elderly.

PHASE Nepal has been on the ground since the first day after the earthquake and has been notably active in the distribution of relief goods and tents, providing first aid to the injured and evacuations. First it was a race against time to make sure everybody got a roof above their head before the start of the monsoon, the rainy season. Hagam was inaccessible due to huge landslides that occurred during and after the earthquake, so the distribution of relief goods was a challenging task as there was no road access. Following the end of the monsoon, roads have been reopened and the next race started: upgrading the shelters so people would be protected against the cold winter.

In Hagam, funds collected by Global Giving, were used to re-install the health post allowing PHASE Nepal staff to continue deliver primary health care to the communities of Hagam and around. The house where the clinic was originally located, is next to a huge landslide and considered unsafe so a temporary shelter was built on a safer piece of land. The accommodation for the PHASE Nepal staff was also damaged - the house where they were renting a room, is inhabitable. A small shelter has been built in a field next to the house so the staff have a place to sleep and eat. On our visit we saw the temporary shelter where the PHASE Nepal staff are currently living and stayed the night with them. It is clear that this shelter needs some improvements as the roof is just a single tarpaulin and currently, the cooking has to be done outside (as it is not possible to cook under a tent). Some funds will be allocated for the improvement of the accommodation for the health staff in Hagam.

Jal Devi Secondary School in Hagam has been supported by PHASE Nepal since 2006. As with most schools in the area, the school was damaged in the earthquake. Children are studying in tents, open areas and are sitting on broken benches or on the floor. PHASE Nepal is planning to rebuild in cooperation with another organization. GlobalGiving funds will be used to supply the school with new furniture, such as benches and blackboards.