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Nepal

Nepal: Earthquake Emergency Appeal (MDRNP008) Operation update n° 17

Attachments

Summary

This update informs on the extension of the operation for six months, until 30 June 2019. The extension seeks to complete construction of three NRCS District Chapter buildings and a final evaluation of the programmes supported through this appeal to allow smooth closure of the recovery phase as outlined in the plan of action. The final report will be issued on 30 September 2019 to reflect the overall achievements.

Furthermore, this operation update provides an overview of consolidated achievements delivered against key indicators of the recovery interventions in three districts supported through IFRC. It also highlights revision of some of the targets under health; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH); livelihoods and shelter, as filed level programme activities and structures of the earthquake recovery operation will be phased out from the early January 2019.

The IFRC country office has been working closely with the NRCS and in-country partners to transition and manage remaining earthquake recovery activities through NRCS normal department structures. In late July 2018, NRCS leadership has endorsed the implementation of a comprehensive transition framework called the “One Transition Plan”.

NRCS and IFRC Country Office Nepal started the phase out from Earthquake Recovery Operation gradually after July 2018 by minimizing its earthquake recovery structure in line with a hand-over plan of the remaining activities from NRCS Earthquake Response Operation (ERO) structure to NRCS permanent programme structures. As a result, an interim transition structure was established to ensure completion of the recovery programme. In particular, this is a critical time to review and check how IFRC can complete appeal commitments on time and transfer any remaining activities to the normal departments of NRCS.

IFRC together with NRCS and in-country partners initiated the discussion and preparation for Movement-wide lessons learnt workshop, a final report and an evaluation to highlight the achievements, outcomes and key lessons learnt from the earthquake recovery plan “One Plan” by NRCS with support from all partners. Once finalized, the report will be shared with all partners supporting the earthquake operation.

Description of the disaster

The 25 April 2015 earthquake and the 12 May 2015 aftershock caused close to 9,000 casualties and more than 22,000 people were injured. In addition to loss of life and human suffering, the two quakes caused extensive destruction and damage to housing, infrastructure and livelihoods, leading to a drastic reduction in living conditions, income, and access to basic services, such as health, water and sanitation. It is estimated that the lives of eight million people, almost one-third of the population of Nepal, were affected by these earthquakes.

According to the Government of Nepal, 14 districts that were severely affected fell under ‘Category A’ and include Gorkha, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Sindhupalchowk, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhuli, Okhaldhunga, Makwanpur, and Khavre. Additionally, nine districts (Sangja, Chitwan, Kaski, Tanahu, Khotang, Solukhumbu, Udayapur, Bhojpur and Lamjung) with medium level damages fell under ‘Category B’. Many of the hardest-hit areas were rural, with some of them remote and difficult to reach, because of landslides and damaged/blocked access routes.

Summary of current response

Since June 2016, fourteen months after the devastating earthquake, Nepal Red Cross Society is making significant contribution to the government’s recovery plan across 14 worst affected districts. NRCS through its district chapters, has been implementing integrated recovery programmes in line with four plus one model in Okhaldunga; Ramechhap; and Sindhuli districts; supported by IFRC appeal. The implementation of integrated shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH), livelihoods and health provided an opportunity to hundreds and thousands of affected people to rebuild their houses and empower communities in terms of access to livelihood options, health care services, safe drinking water and toilets. These interventions also contributed to the overall recovery and SDG commitments of the government and to some of the national campaign such as Open Defecation Free (ODF) and total immunization as well. During the reporting period, most of the planned activities are near to completion with significant achievement of results under each sector. Under the integrated recovery programme, the following number of people have been reached and sector wise detailed achievements can be found on later part of this report.