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In Brief
Appeal No. 17/2004; Operations Update no. 1; Period covered: 28 July to 3 August, 2004; Appeal coverage:11.14%; (click here to go directly to the Contributions List, also available on the website).
Appeal history: Launched on 27 July 2004 for CHF 2,767,360 (USD 2,193,457 or EUR 1,802,246) for six months to assist 180,000 beneficiaries.
Outstanding needs: CHF 2, 459, 195 (USD 1, 925, 008 or EUR 1, 599, 295)
Related Emergency or Annual Appeals: Annual Appeal 01.58/2004
Operational Summary: The Nepal Red Cross has during the past week continued the relief operation using its own resources and raising in-country funds. The National Society has to date distributed over 18,000 family packs to families badly affected by the floods . Food has also been distributed to needy families.
The operation has used Nepal Red Cross disaster relief stocks; however these are now exhausted. The good image and profile has assisted in raising local contributions. The purchase of further relief stock will now proceed to using contributions from this Appeal. The reasonably good response to the Appeal to date will make it possible to continue the immediate response. However, additional funds for implementation of the rehabilitation phase are still urgently required. The Federation and Ne pal Red Cross have a cash transfer system since many years.
Background
Heavy rains which began in early July have resulted in widespread flooding and landslides in Nepal, causing suffering to thousands of people in the eastern and central regions of the country.
As of 2 August, almost 800,000 people were affected. The reported death toll has reached 185 and a further 35 persons are missing. The floods have hit 24 of Nepal's 75 districts.
Many families have been forced to evacuate with parts of southern Nepal submerged for almost 15 days. There have been numerous landslides in the hilly region, sweeping houses away and forcing families to flee. More than 37,000 families are now displaced in the affected areas. Large areas of cultivated land and newly planted rice has been washed away. Up to 68,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged and many schools have been damaged.
Infrastructure has been severely affected with bridges swept away and roads destroyed or damaged.
Diarrhoea cases are increasing and reports on 3 August stated that 44 people had died as a result of the illness in two affected districts alone, with hundreds more affected.
While no rain has fallen in recent days, more is expected with the monsoon season still in its early stages and expected to last into September.
Operational developments
District branch staff and volunteers are responding to the disaster. They are involved in both assessments and distribution. The 14 most affected districts have received a cash contribution from the NHQ to cover costs of local distribution and travel expenses for volunteers.
More than 18,000 family packages have been distributed with 16,000 from the central and regional warehouses of the National Society and more than 2,000 received through other organisations. Additional plastic sheeting has been provided to 800 families. The most affected branches are also raising funds and in-kind materials from local businesses and various INGO/NGOs. These districts are therefore able to provide food and other relief items to a large number of the affected population.
Over the weekend the NHQ briefed and dispatched experienced staff for detailed assessments, beneficiary selection and preparation for further distribution. They will work in close collaboration with district staff and volunteers in the 14 most affected districts.
The NHQ is daily updating situation reports on the number of affected people based on information from branches. Red Cross volunteers are able to access most of the affected communities and the Nepal Red Cross therefore has a reasonably good picture of the current situation. There is regular contact with UN agencies, the Home Ministry and other organisations active in the DP Net.
Red Cross and Red Crescent action - objectives, progress, impact
Operation goal: To meet urgent needs of 180,000 beneficiaries of 30,000 vulnerable displaced and floodaffected families through the provision of food and family packages as well as to assist 15,000 families in the rehabilitation phase with seeds and 400 families with construction material.
Emergency relief
Objective: To assist 1,000 flood-affected families with food items for one month, to be distributed before the end of August.
Many of the affected districts are raising funds and in-kind food for distribution to the most vulnerable in their region. However this not possible in some of the poorer districts which have limited Red Cross capacity. This food assistance will therefore be directed to the neediest families in districts lacking resources. The targeted beneficiaries will receive the full ration of food (SPHERE standard 2,100 calories), which is the same approach being used by other organisations.
Each beneficiary family will receive a monthly ration of 73.8 kg rice, 10.8 kg pulse, 4.5 kg vegetable oil, 3.6 kg sugar and 1.35 kg salt.
Progress/Achievements
The food stock under this appeal will be used to fill gaps in districts where needs exceeds local resources. The identification of these districts branches and beneficiaries has started. Food will be purchased locally as soon as this is finalised.
Food needs are, where possible, being met by district branches which raise resources then distribute dried food and other food items. Food items in kind have been raised to a value of CHF 11,200 by district branches . In addition, donations of cash from INGO/NGOs to branches have reached CHF 57,000 CHF. These funds are being used to purchase additional food items. In the beginning of the cris is, branches distributed dried food. However, as families regain the capacity to cook meals, they are being supplied with rice and pulse. The World Food Programme has held discussions with the Federation and the National Society. It is now assessing the Red Cross capacity and the food situation in a selected number of branches.
Impact: N/A
Constraints: N/A
Objective: To assist 30, 000 flood-affected families with family relief packages during the first month of the operation, including replenishment of already distributed family packages. From within these targeted beneficiaries, 15,000 families will also be provided with additional plastic sheeting for protection of goods, food and clothing.
Each family package contains a kitchen set, a plastic bucket and jug, female sari, male dhoti, printed cloth, blanket and tarpaulin. In addition to the material worth of these packages, they also have a high psychological value, reinforcing to beneficiaries that they have not been forgotten and that the Red Cross cares for their welfare.
Progress/Achievements
To date (including distributions prior to the launch of this appeal) a total of 18,634 family packages have been distributed to the neediest families based on information from field surveys. A total of 15,925 of these came from the National Society's relief stocks while the remaining 2,709 packages were received from other organisations at district level. The value of these packs from other organisations is approximately CHF 140,000. Relief preparedness stocks have now been almost exhausted. A tender for purchasing of family packages was published on 28 July in major newspaper with a one-week tendering period. The purchase will therefore commence in the coming week.
Impact:
Over 18,000 families have benefited from the distribution of these packs. They have given displaced families the ability to cook food and boil water , preventing disease, while basic clothing needs have been met. To receive a relief package is also important recognition of the suffering and the needs a family has. It shows that the Red Cross cares for people that have been forced from their homes and lost their belongings.
Constraints: N/A
Objective:To deliver water purification liquid to 15,000 families within the first month of the operation. To mobilise volunteers for cleaning up and sanitation activities. The Nepal Red Cross has not yet built up capacity in the area of emergency health. The Society will distribute water purification liquid to ensure that people can use safe drinking water. It will also mobilise youth, communitybased first aid and other volunteers for clean-up activities. Local communities will also be encouraged to join in.
Progress/Achievements
The tender for purchasing water purification liquid has been published and selection and purchasing will take place during the coming week.
District volunteers have until now been involved in assessments and distribution of immediate relief. In many districts this phase is still continuing. In some districts, volunteers have started to be involved in clean-up activities together with their communities.
Impact: N/A
Constraints: N/A
Rehabilitation
Objective: To assist 30,000 families with vegetable seeds to be used in kitchen gardens for supplementary food and cash income.
Each family will receive vegetable seeds for beans, chili and other local vegetables. This intervention draws on positive experiences of kitchen garden programmes in the Nepal Red Cross operation for Bhutanese refugees.
Progress/Achievements: N/A
Impact: N/A
Constraints: N/A
Objective: To assist 400 of the most vulnerable displaced families with local construction material and technical expertise for rebuilding their houses.
Families that have lost their homes due to the floods that are regarded as especially vulnerable considering factors such as the lack of an extend family network and large female-headed households will be targeted.
Each family will receive construction material and a Red Cross employed expert will give advice regarding the construction under the supervision of the NHQ construction engineer. Communities will be mobilised to assist with the construction, which is a tradition in many of the villages in Nepal.
Progress/Achievements: N/A
Impact: N/A
Constraints: N/A
Capacity Building
Objective: Disaster response capacity and disaster preparedness programmes will be further enhanced and developed based on lessons learned from this flood operation.
Progress/Achievements: N/A
Impact: N/A
Constraints: N/A
Federation Coordination
The Nepal Red Cross has regular contact with the Ministry of Home Affairs which is responsible for the government's response to the disaster. In coordination with the Federation, the National Society is continuing its liaison with other organisations and the UN agencies. Many local organisations are channelling their assistance through the Nepal Red Cross.
The Appeal has been shared with all major Embassies and local agencies. Representatives from the Nepal Red Cross and the Federation are following up with visits to Embassies of the major donor governments.
National Society Capacity Building
Branches in all affected districts have mobilised their volunteers and members to participate in the flood response. Youth, community first aid and disaster trained volunteers have been especially active. District committees and secretaries have coordinated the operations with the district level disaster committees and kept in close contact with the authorities and other organisations.
The Society has two 3.5 tonne trucks and a number of other vehicles. These trucks are being used to deliver the supplies in various locations. More than 27 warehouses/depots in different strategic locations have also been essential in the current operation. Well defined procurement procedures, relief operation guidelines and experienced, motivated staff as well as the Society's own relief fund are strengths of the Society.
The Nepal Red Cross has implemented Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) programmes in 13 of the 24 currently affected districts. Communities involved in this programme have mobilised their volunteers for rescue and relief activities. In Dhanusha district, the community distributed its relief stock and used the revolving fund set up under the CBDP programme to provide further assistance to affected community members. Trained volunteers from this community also assisted in distributions made in neighbouring villages. Community-based first aid programmes have been implemented in five of the branches. The first aid volunteers have also participated in the response to the flooding, such as raising local resources for food aid. These volunteers have been involved in their own districts during the initial phase of the operation and will continue to be active throughout the various phases.
Communications - Advocacy and Public Information
There was considerable media interest regarding the whole affected region (Nepal, India, and Bangladesh) from the beginning of the disaster and at the launch of the respective appeals/requests for assistance. Representatives of the South Asia Regional Delegation (SARD) have conducted numerous interviews with international media, helping highlight the situation in Nepal.
A local press release was issued to Nepal media for the launch of the Federation Appeal. The SARD Information Manager visited Nepal July 30 - August 2 to assist with raising the profile of the situation in Nepal with media.
Resultant articles written will be posted on the Federation website (www.ifrc.org) and distributed to major media outlets either for reprinting or as a resource material.
The DFID office in Kathmandu has issued a press statement regarding its contribution to the Nepal Federation Flood Appeal.
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
Nepal Red Cross Society, Kathmandu, Badri Khanal, Executive Director, badri@nrcs.org, phone: 977 1 42 70 650 fax: 977 1 42 71 915.
Federation Office, Kathmandu, Karin Hakansson-Furga, Federation Representative, ifrcnp01@ifrc.org , phone: 977 1 42 85 843, fax: 977 1 42 86 048.
ICRC Delegation, Kathmandu: Nicolas Bachman, Communication Delegate, Kathmandu.kat@icrc.org, phone 977 1 44 82 285, fax: 977 1 448 29 37.
For regional overview, contact Alan Bradbury, acting Head of Regional Delegation, South Asia , New Delhi. Phone +91 11 2685 8671, mobile +91 98 1030 1984, email - ifrcin 134@ifrc.org
In Geneva: Suzana Jekic, Asia-Pacific Department; email: suzana.jekic@ifrc.org ; phone: +41 22 730 4353 and Ewa Eriksson, email ewa.eriksson@ifrc.org , phone +41 22 730 4252.
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for a full description of the national society profile, please access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org