Nepal now ranks 11th on a list of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, yet it remains one of the least disaster-prepared nations globally.

Summary: A total of CHF 69,134 was allocated from IFRC DREF on 13 January 2012 to support the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) to conduct rapid assessment and deliver immediate assistance to 5,000 families across nine districts (Ilam, Taplejung, Sankhuwasava, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Khotang, Terhathum, Bhojpur and Solukhumbu) who were made vulnerable by the extreme cold following the onset of winter after their homes had been severely damaged/destroyed by the earthquake in the eastern Nepal in September 2011.

Summary

On 21 September 2011, CHF 172,417 was allocated from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) to conduct rapid assessments and deliver immediate assistance to some 1,500 families in five districts affected by the earthquake which occurred on 18 September.

This report covers the period January to December 2011

In brief

Programme outcome
To increase the capacity of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and the impact of disasters through the timely and adequate financial support for disaster response from the DREF.

This report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2011

In brief

Disaster response – Various natural disasters in 2011 had left 1,126 people dead or missing in China, 430 million people affected and created over 310 billion yuan (approx. 49 billion dollars) in direct economic losses. With the support of International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) regional delegation, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) responded swiftly to the serious disasters with relief items and other assistance needed.

This report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2011

Programme outcome

The 2011 disaster management (DM) programme focused on four strategic DM objectives of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS). These include disaster risk reduction (DRR) for “building safer communities”, national disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, disaster preparedness and response capacity building, and branches interagency coordination.

Key messages

• Prices of rice and wheat remained stable however, experienced some fluctuation in November and December.

• The overall food security situation is favorable however, due to low cereal production, it remains a concern in certain districts in Mid-Western Mountain and Mid-Western Hill.

• Natural calamities have affected people's food security in recent months; moreover the political situation remains tense.

18th September 2011, would be a date that Sikkim would like to push aside in the back pages of memory and get on with life. The horrors of the evening can be well explained only by those who had experienced the nightmare of a devastating earthquake measuring 6.9 magnitudes on the Richter scale. But memories of the faces of near and dear ones lost, the picture of the ravaged surroundings, broken homes, derailed lives and that horrifying sound shall never fade from the minds of the survivors who have lived to tell the tale.

Appeal Target: US$ 182,501
Balance Requested: US$ 82,432

Geneva, 7 March 2012