Nepal: 25 killed, 45 hurt in Palpa bus mishap

Nepal: 25 killed, 45 hurt in Palpa bus mishap

Himalayan News Service

The mangled remains of the passenger bus that veered off the road and fell into a maize field at Laghuwa in Deurali VDC in Palpa on Monday.
Palpa, August 20:

Twenty-five persons were killed when a passenger bus heading from Butwal through Tansen to Gulmi’s Tamghas skidded off the road at Laghuwa in Palpa’s Deurali VDC this morning.


Forty-five others were injured in the mishap. They have been admitted to the mission hospital in Tansen, where four of them are in critical condition.
The dead included 12 women and four children.
The bus, Lu 1 Kha 3076, fell nearly 200 metres down into a maize field at 11:30 am. Driver Dil Bahadur Saru said the mishap occurred after he swerved to avoid a boulder that was rolling down from above towards the vehicle. Immediately after the mishap, Saru contacted the police, said police inspector at the Palpa district police office Dipak Shrestha. Nineteen died on the spot, while six died while undergoing treatment at the mission hospital.
Deputy superintendent of police Bhim Prasad Dhakal, who led the rescue mission, said the accident may have occurred due to the bad condition of the road and brake failure after the vehicle’s spring plate snapped.
An injured person, Dil Bahadur Gharti of Arwathok, Gulmi, said the bus was overloaded and the driver sped past a narrow bend when the incident occurred. “The driver ignored me when I asked him not to take too many passengers into the bus. The spring plate broke and the brakes failed. The driver then jumped off the vehicle and it fell down into a maize field,” he said.
Another wounded passenger Tek Bahadur Hamal said the accident could have been averted had the driver not jumped out.
A rescue team of police from the district headquarters Tansen reached the spot soon after the accident. Palpa CDO Shambhu Ghimire also reached the site. Locals, cadres of political parties, transport entrepreneurs, travellers, health workers, teachers and school students all rushed to aid in the rescue.

13 dead identified so far
Krishna Prasad Kharel, 52, of Aanpchaur-1, Gulmi; Basisara Thapa, 53, of Hugdi-3, Baglung; Tikaram Gyawali, 55, of Ruru-8, Gulmi; Sabitra Kunwar, 18, of Thulolumdek-8, Gulmi; Shir Bahadur Thapa, 28, of Jheri Gajera, Kapilvastu; Harikala Thapa, 19, of Ruru-4, Gulmi; Harikala’s two-year-old son Amit; Bishnu Thapa, 28, of Kailashnagar, Tansen; Umakanti Chandan, 42, of Birbas-2, Gulmi; Devka Kunwar, 37, of Swathi-8, Nawalparasi; Devka’s 10-year-old son Raju; Jung Bahadur Gautam, 60, of Rupakot-5, Gulmi; Mohan Singh Khatri, 40, Charpala, Gulmi.

UN sees looming health crisis from South Asia floods

UN sees looming health crisis from South Asia floods
source: Daily Times.com.pk

* Rain, blocked roads hinder relief efforts g Canada offers emergency aid relief

GENEVA: Millions of people could fall ill with malaria, dengue fever and other diseases if emergency aid does not reach those stranded by floodwaters in South Asia within days, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.

The UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said stagnant waters left behind after intense monsoons in India, Bangladesh and Nepal were “a lethal breeding ground” for diarrhoeal and water-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. “Entire villages are days away from a health crisis if people are not reached in the coming days,” UNICEF’s health chief for India, Marzio Babille, said in a statement.

World Health Organisation (WHO) spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said acute respiratory and skin infections, food-borne ailments and snake bites were also threatening the 30 million people affected by flash flooding in the region. Many people in affected areas are relying on dirty surface water for their basic needs, with water sources contaminated or still submerged in the wake of the floods.

“The main problem is access to clean water and sanitation,” Chaib told a news briefing, noting that UN agencies, other aid groups and governments were working to ensure water, rehydration salts and other medical supplies reached those in need. Many remote communities and villages are only accessible by boat or through air drops, and security concerns in some areas has further hindered efforts to deliver humanitarian aid, UNICEF spokeswoman Veronique Taveau said.

More rain and blocked roads have delayed efforts to help 300,000 people in southern Nepal hit by major flooding, amid fears of a rise in water-borne illnesses, officials said Tuesday. “We are concerned about water-borne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid,” Arjun Bahadur Singh, Nepal’s health ministry spokesman, told AFP.

“There is no shortage of medicine. However, accessibility is a problem: highways are blocked, there is no transportation and it is very hard for our medical response teams to get to some of the worst affected areas,” he said.

Flooding eased in most parts of Bangladesh on Tuesday with major improvements expected over the coming days, the head of country’s flood centre said, but the death toll rose to 290. “All the major rivers are receding fast. Except in the eastern part of the capital, we will now see some dramatic improvement from later today (Tuesday),” said Saiful Hossain, the head of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.

The flood centre monitors the water level of all the major rivers in Bangladesh and India. However, at least eight more deaths were reported Tuesday, mostly children who drowned in swirling waters, taking the death toll from the last two weeks’ floods to 164, government spokesman Golam Kibria said.

Canada offers aid relief:Canada pledged one million dollars (950,000 US dollars) in emergency aid relief Monday for victims of devastating floods that have hit India, Bangladesh and Nepal. “Canada is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and by the destruction that has occurred over the past few weeks in Bangladesh, India and Nepal,” Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement. “Canada stands with these countries as they carry out their relief efforts,’ he said. agencies

1,600 Flood-hit Residents to be Evacuated in Banke

1,600 Flood-hit Residents to be Evacuated in Banke

Surendra Kafle
Nepalgunj, August 8

Plans are afoot to shift 1,600 residents of Holiya and Betahani -- who are under the threat of the swollen Rapti river -- to a secured location.
A total of 1,302 families of some areas in Betahani and Holiya will be evacuated and relocated to save them from land erosion and inundation, the Banke chief district officer, Narendra Raj Sharma, said.
The Uchuwa area in Jhora jungle of Betahani VDC ward no-6 is being considered a safe place.
Floodwaters from the Laxmanpur dam inundate the two villages every year, damaging houses and destroying crops.
A high-level technical committee that will study the flood situation was sent to the areas on Tuesday following demands and pressure from the flood- hit people there, CDO Sharma said.
The committee is expected to prepare a report in a few days and a detailed planning would be done after that, he said.
The high-level panel had been formed at the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula had toured the areas recently.

Monsoon Floods Hit South Asia, Affecting Millions of People

Monsoon Floods Hit South Asia, Affecting Millions of People

By Ed Johnson

Aug 3: (Bloomberg) -- Monsoon rains caused flooding across northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions more homeless as relief agencies battled to provide emergency supplies and prevent the outbreak of disease.

``Huge areas are underwater,'' Oxfam's Aditi Kapoor said in an interview aired by the British Broadcasting Corp. today from the Indian capital, New Delhi. ``This situation will worsen and will probably continue for another two months.''

Among the hardest hit regions are the Indian states of Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where at least 165 people were killed and about 14 million lost their homes and farmland, state-run broadcaster Doordarshan reported.

South Asia experiences monsoon rains from June to September, which are vital for the region's agriculture, although frequently cause flooding and landslides that devastate crops, destroy homes and trigger diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery.

``Food is a real problem in the short term,'' Kapoor told the BBC. ``In the long term, we will probably see a lot of distressed migration in these areas.''

In Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation of 145 million people, about 5 million are displaced or marooned and at least 46 died after rivers burst their banks, Associated Press reported.

`Natural Calamity'

Nepal is experiencing a ``natural calamity,'' Matthew Kahane, a humanitarian relief coordinator for the United Nations, said in a statement two days ago.

Three weeks of incessant rain in the Himalayan kingdom have caused floods and landslides that have affected more than 230,000 people and driven 4,000 families from their homes, the UN said. About 86 people have died, Nepalnews.com reported, citing the Home Ministry.

In India's northeastern Assam state, about 5.5 million people, a quarter of its population, have been displaced by floods, Doordarshan reported. Railway services are suspended and flood waters washed away highways, AP said, citing state government officials.

``The situation is grim,'' the news agency cited Bhumidhar Barman, a minister in the Assam state government, as saying yesterday.

Indian authorities deployed troops to help evacuate people in the worst-hit areas, including northern Uttar Pradesh state, AP said.

``I have not seen such flooding in the last 24 years,'' the agency cited Santosh Mishra, a villager in the state's Gonda district, as saying. ``There are no signs of houses, temples or trees.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: August 2, 2007 22:14 EDT

Be prepared for natural disasters

Be prepared for natural disasters

Bharati Chaturvedi
July 23, 2007
First Published: 00:55 IST(23/7/2007)
Last Updated: 01:00 IST(23/7/2007)

Source of article: Hindustan Times
This decade has been one of global large scale natural disasters. Usually, this crank up our charitable selves, and everyone's thrust is on disaster relief for the victims. But what happens when the disaster strikes in conflict zones? The meticulous Worldwatch Institute believes some good can come out of disasters here, because of the space created for traditional foes to be brought to the negotiation table. In their perspective, disasters are a moment of freezing of everyday relations and that instance should be grabbed strategically. For that a range of actors — from diplomats to environmentalists — must work together. Unfortunately, going by precedence, disaster preparedness in its initial phase of distribution of resources underscores existing divides. In fact, Worldwatch’s candid case studies of the Kashmir Earthquake and Tsunami in Sri Lanka show that this ‘moment’ did not happen.

But what after this first burst? We know environmental restoration is important to overcome some aspects of disasters. But, and here’s the thing: when environmentalists make their plans, they have to remember the politics of the place and work in the most equitable ways as resources are, so to speak, redistributed afterwards. Particularly because skewed resource access leads to several conflicts.

I thought about this report a lot. How could we have done this during the Gujarat earthquake, for example, which was followed by the mass killings just a few years later? How could we have done this in Bihar or Assam, frequently flooded and steeped in waves of conflict? My response is this. You can’t do much in an immediate post-disaster situation, unless you already have been working before that and built equitable, non-patronizing relationships with communities already. In part, it’s because of the sheer enormity of the crisis and the everyday stress of handling it. In part, it requires some more information and keen understanding of the situation to make any meaningful intervention, and a crisis is just the wrong place to start collecting that kind of data. In part, it is the situation of the victims, who may be impacted in ways that render them unable to fully participate in the process from point zero at the critical juncture. If you are in a dialogue, then you may have some chance to implement your own disaster preparedness.

Green options

Here is a thought on living green. Although we are moving to ‘greener’ bulbs to reduce greenhouse gases, there is already talk of how the mercury will be handled. Will new systems be created to collect these? Will new facilities be set up? One suggestion is to reduce our dependence on artificial light. Any takers?

Four dead, 79 injured in U.S. bridge collapse

Four dead, 79 injured in U.S. bridge collapse

Source: Xinhua
www.chinaview.cn 2007-08-02 22:24:36

A three-way bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota is shown collapsed into the Mississippi River on August 1, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)




WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Four people were confirmed dead and at least 79 others injured when an eight-lane freeway bridge in Minneapolis, Minn., collapsed into the Mississippi River below Wednesday, according to updated casualty figures.

Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan said 20 to 30 people are still missing.

He and other officials expected the death toll to rise as rescuers search for missing people or bodies.

"We have a number of vehicles that are underneath big pieces of concrete, and we do know we have some people in those vehicles," Dolan said.

"We know we do have more casualties at the scene," he said.

City fire chief Jim Clack said that emergency work was no longer a rescue operation and had become a recovery operation.

In Washington, U.S. President George W. Bush offered his condolences to victims of the collapse and promised that the federal government would help ensure that the bridge will be rebuilt as quickly as possible.

"We in the federal government must respond, and respond robustly, to help the people there not only recover, but to make sure that lifeline of activity -- that bridge -- gets rebuilt as quickly as possible," Bush told a press conference at the Rose Garden of the White House.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said an inspection two years ago had found structural deficiencies in the bridge, but "this doesn't mean there was a risk of failure."

He said First lady Laura Bush will visit Minneapolis on Friday.

Snow said the Minnesota state has not made a formal request for Bush to issue a disaster declaration, but people are being sent to the scene from a number of federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environment Protection Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Transportation Security Board.

In addition, he said the federal government will give local officials 5 million U.S. dollars to re-route traffic and remove debris.

Meanwhile, members of the state's congressional delegation are flying home with Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.

The Interstate 35W bridge collapsed at about 6:05 p.m. local time (2305 GMT) during Wednesday's rush hour, plunging cars into the river.

Security camera video showed the bridge's center section collapsing into the river in less than four seconds. The northern end of the span appeared to drop first and the southern end followed.

At present, rescuers are continuing their search in the Mississippi River below the bridge among the submerged cars and twisted steel left by the collapse. Their hopes of finding survivors have dimmed.

Flood leaves thousands stranded in Nepal

Flood leaves thousands stranded in Nepal


www.chinaview.cn 2007-07-28 12:10:34 Print

KATHMANDU, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Flood triggered by torrential monsoon rainfall was continuing to strike Nepal's southern plains, killing four more persons, a leading Nepali website, nepalnews.com reported Saturday.

A 50-year-old woman was swept away by a swollen canal in Banigama of Morang district in Eastern Development Region on Thursday night. Likewise, a lady died after being crushed by a house that collapsed due to flooding in Khadihani of Dhanusha district in the region.

A boy was killed by flood in Mahottari district in Central Development Region while another perished in a landslide in Ramechhap in the region.

According to the website, over 14,000 families have been displaced due to flood in various parts of the country.

Nepalgunj in Mid-Western Development Region has been one of the worst affected regions. The city is waterlogged and floodwaters have rushed inside homes. Educational institutions, factories, government offices, schools and markets are closed down. The city has been reeling under power blackout since last two days.

Even water supply has been affected. Local FM radiobroadcasts and newspapers coming out of the city have also stopped. People have rushed towards higher grounds -- rooftops and community buildings -- fearing inundation.

According to the report, quoting Home Ministry's records, about 50 persons have died in this year's monsoon season due to floods and landslides.


Editor: An Lu

Over 1,000 flood victims fall sick in mid-western Nepal

Over 1,000 flood victims fall sick in mid-western Nepal


www.chinaview.cn 2007-08-01 18:30:01 Print

KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 flood victims are suffering from various diseases in Bardiya district in mid-western Nepal, local media reported on Wednesday.

Doctors said that the victims are falling sick as there is no clean drinking water.

According to a leading website, the himalayantimes.com report, an epidemic looms in the district as the flood victims have been drinking polluted water, the Red Cross and District Public Health Office (DPHO) said.

Teams of health workers and medicines have not been sent to all the flood-affected areas yet, some 400 km west of Kathmandu, chief of the Bardiya chapter of Nepal Red Cross, Govinda Poudel, was quoted by the website as saying.

Around 1,200 victims are suffering from various diseases, Bardiya DPHO chief Ramashankar Deep said, adding that the diseases that have spread are diarrhoea, typhoid, conjunctivitis, flu, pneumonia and common cold.

"We went to two villages and found 200 patients. We are yet to visit other villages affected by the flood," Deep said.

"We have sent two teams of health workers that will tour the affected areas one by one," he added.

Even as the chances of the diseases spreading are increasing due to the polluted water, there is shortage of medicine, he said.


Editor: Jiang Yuxia

Over 5,000 households affected by floods in mid-western Nepal

Over 5,000 households affected by floods in mid-western Nepal


www.chinaview.cn 2007-08-01 21:29:49

Source: Here
KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Over 5,000 households of 26 villages in Bardiya district in mid-western Nepal have been affected while paddy planted in hundreds of hectares of land has been damaged due to some flooded rivers triggered by the heavy rainfall of July 26 and 30.

According to the National News Agency RSS' Wednesday report, displaced people are compelled to take shelters in schools, roads and public places after setting up temporary camps.

The condition of the displaced people is deteriorating due to the lack of clean drinking water, foods and proper management for their settlement.

The flood has already damaged 300 houses while over 50 cattle were swept away, said Mahesh Chandra Gautam, acting chairman of Nepal Red Cross Society in Bardiya district, some 390 km west of Kathmandu.

Details of damage caused by the flood are yet to be reported as the rescue and relief teams have failed to reach the flood-hit villages yet.

Owing to the lack of helicopters, the rescue and relief material distribution has been affected in Rajapur area as it is surrounded by rivers to its all sides, said Chief District Officer Shiva Prasad Nepal.

Food provided by the District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee for the flood victims of the district is inadequate, the report said.

Hundreds of passengers and vehicles have been stranded at Bharigaun bazaar and Abhyasa as the flood damaged the east-west highway road section in the area.


Editor: Jiang Yuxia

Flood death toll reaches 86 in Nepal

Flood death toll reaches 86 in Nepal


www.chinaview.cn 2007-08-02 06:42:23

Source: Xinhua
KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of persons killed by floods and landslides in Nepal has reached 86, the Home Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry added that around 180,000 persons have been affected by the floods and landslides in various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the United Nations office in Kathmandu has appealed for unhindered and safe access to flood-affected populations.

The UN estimates that as many as 230,000 people may have been affected by flooding and landslides across Nepal.

"Numerous organizations and UN agencies are supporting national efforts to address immediate food, shelter, water and health needs. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator appeals to all groups in the Teraito allow all humanitarian organizations safe and unhindered access to affected populations for the effective assessment and delivery of essential humanitarian relief," the office said in a statement.


Editor: Luan Shanglin

Maya blames Nepal reservoirs for East UP floodsAds By Google
Shariq Rais Siddiqui, Hindustan Times

Bahraich, August 02, 2007
First Published: 19:09 IST(2/8/2007)
Last Updated: 19:32 IST(2/8/2007)

SOURCE: Hindustan Times
Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday said the discharge of water from Nepalese reservoirs had caused floods in most of the eastern districts of the state. She was talking to journalists at the Police Lines ground in Bahraich.

Earlier, she conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Bahraich, Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts.
She also held a meeting with district officials at Police Lines ground and reviewed flood relief measures.

She said, Irrigation Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui had already conducted a survey of the flood-affected areas. She had also received reports of floods from the Devipatan divisional commissioner, she said. She added she decided to visit the flood-hit areas after being told that the situation was grim. She said floodwaters had entered several villages in Maharajganj due to a breach in an embankment.

She appreciated the work done by district administration. During her survey, she found that the officials were discharging their duties sincerely, she said.

She said officials had made sufficient arrangements to protect embankments from further damage. Giving the assurance that the government was ready to provide all help to the victims, she asked the district administration to take steps to contain the spread of infectious diseases after the floods.

Nepal: Floods and Landslides OCHA Situation Report No. 1

Nepal: Floods and Landslides OCHA Situation Report No. 1
This report was developed by the OCHA Office in Nepal based in Kathmandu.

Source: ReliefwebSITUATION

1. Incessant monsoon rains continue to cause floods and landslides throughout Nepal, mainly in the Terai in the far-west, west and east regions.

2. In the last two weeks the Ministry of Home Affairs and Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) estimate that flooding and landslides have caused 84 deaths, displaced more than 9,700 families, and affected 48,000 families (270,000 people) in 32 districts throughout Nepal.

3. The initial response focus has been on rescue and relief efforts, with the army and rafting companies also deployed to evacuate stranded flood affected people.

4. More than 10,000 families have been provided short-term food rations of ready to eat food and more than 3,000 families received non-food items (NFI), including tarpaulin sheets. Water purification supplies were provided to over 30,000 people.

Need Assessments

5. Cross sectoral needs assessments were conducted, led by over 1,000 volunteers from the Nepal Red Cross Society, together with the government District Disaster Relief Committees, UN and international and national NGOs. Inter-agency assessments, including aerial reconnaissance flights undertaken in various districts, focusing in particular on the most affected Village Development Committees (VDCs). A number of VDCs remain isolated by high water levels, preventing detailed assessments being conducted.

6. Food, portable water and temporary shelter were identified as major needs. Health issues have also been of particular concern in at least five districts, with reports of fever, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, vector-borne diseases and snake bites.

7. Preliminary assessment suggests that initial humanitarian relief needs can be met from resources mobilised locally, most of which is channelled through the Nepal Red Cross Society. Nevertheless, mid to long term recovery and reconstruction efforts are likely to demand significant additional resources, including the replenishment of contingency stocks used in the initial response.

8. Despite initial data on damage to agricultural land, private and public property and other infrastructure exists, accurate and comprehensive data will be collated once the flood situation stabilises. Figures for those affected by the disaster are under constant revision as new and more detailed assessments are completed, allowing more sector-specific data to be gathered, information which will be used in projections for additional required resources.

9. Flood waters are largely stagnant, including in urban and peri-urban areas, increasing the likelihood of inundated houses collapsing, in particular those of adobe construction. Hundreds of hectares of paddy fields have been ‘sand-castled’.

10. The strengthening of public health surveillance systems is an immediate priority to avoid a major outbreak of water borne diseases, including malaria, as occurred in the 2006 floods.

Security

11. Security has been a concern, particularly in flooded districts of the eastern Terai region, the scene of ongoing conflict. The Humanitarian Coordinator issued a press statement urging all groups allow unhindered humanitarian access.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

1. The Government of Nepal has played a key role in rescue efforts and has given authority to the district government to divert funds from other budget lines for immediate relief purposes, which in some districts has been passed on to the Nepal Red Cross Society. The Ministry of Finance also released additional resources.

2. The Minister of Home Affairs is committed to the Government of Nepal’s lead coordination role and has activated coordinating bodies within the Government, including the Disaster Emergency Relief Committee.

3. Field level coordination is through the District Disaster Relief Committees with the Nepal Red Cross Society, supported by OCHA, in the Mid and Far West, and Eastern Regions, where a number of sector working groups were established.

4. The Nepal Red Cross Society releases daily bulletins summarising the NRCS ongoing assessments and response.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

1. Most assistance is provided through the Nepal Red Cross Society, with major material contributions made by UNICEF, Save the Children US and the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance. Several UN agencies, including UNICEF and WFP, as well as a number of international and national NGOs have provided technical staff to NRCS field-based offices to assist with assessments and targeting assistance.

2. CARE, CARITAS, IRC, RRN, Save the Children Japan and Norway and World Vision provided assistance to disaster affected people through other local partners.

3. UNDP and UNMIN provided helicopter logistics support.

4. UNFPA and WHO have been working closely with the Ministry of Health to assess and monitor the situation.

5. Private sector support has been mobilised for both cash and in-kind contributions at the central and district levels, including with the initiation of UNDP.

6. The Ministry of Home Affairs has formerly requested the World Food Programme provide food assistance to 10,000 families for three months.

7. The OCHA Office in Nepal complies and updates flood disaster related information on the new dedicated section of the Nepal Information Platform at www.un.org.np.

8. OCHA is in close contact with its office in Kathmandu and will revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

For detailed information please contact:

OCHA Nepal

Mr. Paul Handley
OCHA HoO
Tel. +97 715548553
Email: handley@un.org

Mr. Greg Grimsich
Reports Officer
Tel. +97 781526238
Email : grimsich@un.org

NRCS Nepal

Umesh Dhakal / Sanjeev Kafle

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok)

Mr. Rajan Gengaje
Regional Disaster Response Adviser
Tel. + 66-2288-2572
Fax: +66-2288-1043
Mob. + 66-8-1916-1271
Email: gengaje@un.org

Desk Officer: (NY)

Ms. Kendra Clegg
OCHA CRD
Tel. +1-917 367 3524
Email: clegg@un.org

Press contact: (NY)

Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Tel. +1-917 367 5126

(GVA)

Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel. +41-22-917 2653

NEPAL: US SUPPORT FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

NEPAL: US SUPPORT FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
TGW
The government of United States has decided to provide 50,000 US$ to the flood victims of Nepal.

The US government has decided to provide the assistance at the request of the Charge d’ Affaires at the US Embasssy, Mr. Robert Hugins, say reports.

The US government is to provide the amount to Save the Children-US, which will coordinate with the Nepal Red Cross Society to ensure that the assistance will reach to the flood victims in Nepal.

2007-08-03 07:24:05

August 2, 2007 Rains in Eastern Terai Districts

Image 1: Nepal rains on August 2, 2007

About 75 mm rains are expected in the eastern Nepal Terai districts: Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari, Sarlahi, Udaypur and Morang today, i.e. August 2, 2007. This much of rainfall can hamper relief works. Local grassroots social and service organizations are providing food to the people living in schools.

Only drizzles here and there expected from tomorrow in those areas also.


Image 2: South Asia

The rain in south asia are limited to Mehgalaya, parts of Bihar and UP and west coast of India.

This information is only for Augist 2, 2007 and is not a weekly synopsis.

Image Source: CPC NOAA

Floods leave many in dire straits

Floods leave many in dire straits



POST REPORT


KATHMANDU, July 31 - Weeklong inundation across several districts has wreaked havoc, with hundreds of displaced locals facing looming epidemic and starvation amid the ravaged infrastructure.
Reports from Sarlahi said locals are suffering from diarrhea and fever. A team of Red Cross Society that managed to reach Khairwa VDC on Monday, distributed medicines and relief to flood and disease affected victims.

Flood victims in Bardiya and Banke districts are starving as transportation to many villages remains disrupted. According to local administration, transportation difficulties have left Nepalgunj without any food supply.

Similarly, locals of 11 VDCs in Rajapur Tappu of Bardiya are starving. Although locals in the area are using steamers to cross the Karnali river, the situation in the villages is worse as roadways to nearby cities remain damaged. Mean-while, a large number of locals from Mahammadpur, Suryagaudi and Taduwa are sheltering in makeshift tents along the Gulariya-Nepalgunj road section.

Almost 2,000 locals of Nepalgunj are sheltering in dharmashalas, educational institutes, government offices and hospitals since the last week. Flood victims have been complaining that the local administration is being 'partial' in relief distribution.

Likewise, locals in Ilam are also suffering due to lack of commodities as the rainfall has damaged the 15-kilometer-long Damak-Ravi Falgu-nand roadway. According to locals, Luvde, Sakfara, Fuyetappa and Aamchowk VDCs in Ilam and Rabi, Kurumba and Lumba VDCs among others in Panchthar districts are worst-hit due to food scarcity.

Our Biratnagar correspondent said that locals of Niguradin VDC-7 in Taplejung district have been staying at their neighbors' homes after landslide damaged their houses. Similarly, landslides also displaced three houses in Aankhivui VDC of Sankhuwasabha district, Monday night.

In Sunsari, flood victims on Tuesday criticized local bodies for distributing 'inadequate' relief materials. However, Chief District Officer Prem Narayan Sharma said the administration has already distributed over 16 quintals of ration to 2,000 displaced locals of Basantapur and Narsingh VDCs. The administration also provided relief to over 700 flood victims of Inaruwa municipality who had launched agitation demanding relief.

In Parsa, Red Cross Society in the district said nearly 330 houses have been displaced so far. According to the Red Cross team's report - Dhobini, Langadi, Jhauwa Guthi, Bindabasini, Mad-hwal, Shrisiya, Prasauni-birta and Prasaunibhatha VDCs, including ward no 15 and 16 of Birgunj municipality were waterlogged till Tuesday. The team also provided relief materials to victims.

In Sarlahi, locals of Sakarpura VDC have started repairing the Bhim barrage on Khado River after two weeks of rainfall ceased on Tuesday. Earlier, nearly 2,500 households in Sakarpura, Rampura Malhaniya, Launiya and Tilathi VDCs were displaced after the river wrecked the barrage.

2 more killed in Mahottari

MAHOTTARI, July 31 (PR) - Although the impact of rainfall is diminishing in other districts, inundation in Mahottari claimed two more lives on Monday. According to police, Lalita Devi Yadav, 25, of Chakwa in Halkhori VDC-8 died after being drowned in the Jangaha River on Monday. Similarly, Taslim Miya, 40, of Sarpallo VDC-8 was drowned in Akushi River the same day. With this, the total flood casualty in Mahottari has reached seven. Meanwhile, five members of a family in Gonarpura VDC-5 of the district were injured when their house collapsed. Seventy-five-year-old Bartu Devi was seriously injured. The injured are receiving treatment at a local health post, police said.



Posted on: 2007-07-31 20:18:46 (Server Time)

Flood Victims are getting waterborne disease: After deluge, it’s disease

After deluge, it’s disease

Damodar Bhandari
Bardiya, July 31:

Over 1,000 flood victims are suffering from various diseases in Bardiya district.
Doctors said today that the victims are falling sick as there is no clean drinking water. An epidemic looms in the district as the flood victims have been drinking polluted water, the Red Cross and District Public Health Office (DPHO) said.
Teams of health workers and medicines have not been sent to all the flood-affected areas yet, chief of the Bardiya chapter of Nepal Red Cross, Govinda Poudel, said.
Around 1,200 victims are suffering from various diseases in the district, Bardiya DPHO chief Dr Ramashankar Deep said.
Ninety-five persons are suffering from different diseases in Badhupur village and 95 have fallen victim to the diseases in Suryagadhi village of Mohamadpur village development committee, Dr Deep said.
The diseases that have spread are diarrhoea, typhoid, conjunctivitis, flu, pneumonia and common cold, he added.
Five seriously ill diarrhoea and typhoid patients are undergoing treatment in the Bardiya District Hospital.
“We went to two villages and found 200 patients. We are yet to visit other villages affected by the flood,” Dr Deep said.
Even as the chances of the diseases spreading are increasing due to the polluted water, there is shortage of medicine, he said.
“Of the 23 inundated VDCs and a municipality hit by floods, teams of health workers have reached the Mohamadpur village development committee only,” Red Cross chief Poudel said.

Three swept away
DHANGADHI: Two persons were swept away on Monday night in Kailali district, while the body of a 50-year-old man, who was swept away by Khadam river was recovered from Kerabari in Morang on Tuesday. The police said Nain Singh Bohara, 55, of Lalbojhi VDC-9 and three-year-old Akash Chaudhary of Thapapur VDC-6 died after being swept away by flood in Kailali district on Monday night.
Altogether 67 families at Ward No 9 of Thapapur VDC, surrounded by Kandra and Kanda rivers, have been awaiting rescue from the rooftops of their houses and trees and most of them are starving. — HNS

Over 1000 Flood Victims Fall Sick in Bardiya

Damodar Bhandari
Bardiya, August 1

Over 1,000 flood victims are suffering from various diseases in Bardiya district.
Doctors said today that the victims are falling sick as there is no clean drinking water.
An epidemic looms in the district as the flood victims have been drinking polluted water, the Red Cross and District Public Health Office (DPHO) said.
Teams of health workers and medicines have not been sent to all the flood-affected areas yet, chief of the Bardiya chapter of Nepal Red Cross, Govinda Poudel, said.
Around 1,200 victims are suffering from various diseases, Bardiya DPHO chief Dr Ramashankar Deep said.
Ninety-five persons are suffering from different diseases in Badhupur village and 95 have fallen victim to the diseases in Suryagadhi village of Mohamadpur VDC, Dr Deep said. The diseases that have spread are diarrhoea, typhoid, conjunctivitis, flu, pneumonia and common cold, he added.
Five seriously ill diarrhoea and typhoid patients are undergoing treatment in the Bardiya District Hospital.
"We went to two villages and found 200 patients. We are yet to visit other villages affected by the flood," Dr Deep said.
"We have sent two teams of health workers that will tour the affected areas one by one," he added.
Even as the chances of the diseases spreading are increasing due to the polluted water, there is shortage of medicine, he said.
"We were informed that medicines in the Nyalopur health post are in short supply, but we are not being able to send medicines there as we don't have them immediately," Dr Deep said.
"Of the 23 inundated VDCs and a municipality hit by floods, teams of health workers have reached the Mohamadpur VDC only. We have received a report that over 1,000 flood victims are suffering from diseases," Red Cross chief Poudel said. According to the Red Cross, 4,000 households have been affected by the floods and 1,500 have been displaced in the district so far.