Attachments
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
200,000 People in need of humanitarian assistance
68,000 Children in need of humanitarian assistance
150,000 People to be targeted with WASH services
1,280 SAM children to be admitted for treatment
120,731 Children to be immunized against Measles-Rubella
Highlights:
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A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Jajarkot District in western Nepal on 3 November 2023, resulting in the loss of 154 lives (84 females, 70 males), including 81 children (37 girls, 44 boys) and 366 individuals sustaining injuries.
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Out of approximately 250,0003 people (including 80,000 children) who were affected by the earthquake, UNICEF estimates that around 200,000 (including 68,000 children) require humanitarian assistance.
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Approximately 150,000 affected people (including 51,000 children) are in critical need of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services.
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The earthquake caused significant damage to educational infrastructure, impacting 898 schools (294 fully damaged, 604 partially damaged), along with 89 partially-damaged school toilets. This is expected to disrupt the learning of around 125,0004 school-aged children (49 per cent girls), posing serious risk to their access to education.
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Over 25,000 people (8,500 children) are in need of psychosocial support, while approximately 10,000 require awareness and sensitization on prevention and response to gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE), including essential information on referral and response mechanisms.
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Attention is needed for the admission and treatment of around 1,280 children (aged 6 to 59 months) with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
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A comprehensive immunization effort aims to reach 120,731 children (aged 6 months to 15 years) in the two most-affected districts with Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccines.
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Relief efforts have so far reached 7,992 households (around 39,900 people, including 13,560 children5) with critical supplies, encompassing WASH non-food items such as hygiene kits, plastic buckets, water purifying solution, tarpaulins and blankets.
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To provide a safe place for children to recover from the trauma of the disaster, seven child-friendly spaces (CFS) have been established, where 431 children are currently enrolled.
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Five medical tents have been set up in select locations to ensure continuity of essential health services amid the crisis.
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Regular multi-sectoral humanitarian coordination meetings are taking place at federal, provincial and district levels under government leadership to guarantee a cohesive and efficient humanitarian response and alignment with the efforts of UN agencies and partners.
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UNICEF has launched an appeal for US$15.7 million to address the pressing humanitarian needs in Nepal.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Nepal has a history of seismic vulnerability, with the devastating 2015 Gorkha earthquake standing out in recent memory. On 3 November, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the most devasting since 2015, struck Jajarkot District in western Nepal. This catastrophic event claimed the lives of 154 people (84 females, 70 males), including 81 children (37 girls, 44 boys), and left 366 others injured. Aside from these tragic human casualties, the repercussions of the earthquake also encompassed extensive damage to property and critical infrastructure, and disruption of essential services.
Initial assessments from the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) estimate that around 250,0006 people (80,000 children) have been affected by this earthquake. Among them, around 200,000 people (including 68,000 children) urgently require assistance, with over 150,000 people (including 51,000 children) specifically in need of WASH services. The education sector suffered a severe blow, with around 125,000 school-aged children needing education support to ensure learning continuity, partly due to the extensive damage inflicted on over 898 schools (294 fully damaged, 604 partially damaged), including 89 school toilets that were partially damaged. According to NEOC/Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) reports7, more than 62,000 houses were damaged in the 13 affected districts (26,557 fully damaged, 35,455 partially damaged) in addition to 50 government and public buildings that were impacted (16 fully damaged, 34 partially damaged).
Two weeks since the earthquake, the government-led search and rescue operations are now concluding. However, challenges persist over improved access, availability and use of data to determine the full extent of the devastation and its impact on children. With planned government-led damage assessments underway, a clearer picture is expected to be established in the coming weeks. This is particularly important in framing response interventions based on the evidence of the needs and an accurate assessment of the multi-sectoral impacts. Though communities are striving to regain normalcy, the situation remains critical, and continues to evolve in terms of humanitarian requirements, the scale of damage and overall impact.
Findings of the initial rapid assessment, involving the Government, clusters and partners, underscore a pressing ongoing need for humanitarian support, specifically for the well-being of children and women. Adequate funding is essential for a swift response and the resumption of critical social services, including WASH, health, nutrition, education and child protection, in addition to ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP). With search and rescue operations having ended, priority interventions now focus on case management, provision of shelter, multi-purpose cash support to ensure continuous access to essential services including healthcare, prevention of disease outbreaks, provision of WASH services, and the protection of children.
The Government of Nepal, at all three tiers, continues to lead response and coordination efforts together with relevant stakeholders including UN agencies, relevant ministries (cluster leads) and co-leads including UNICEF, local non-governmental organization (NGOs), and international humanitarian organizations, among others. Meanwhile, reconstruction efforts have begun, with the Government approving and issuing guidelines for construction of transitional shelter/temporary houses on 12 November and committing to provide NPR 50,000 (approx.US$375) each to families whose homes were completely damaged. UNICEF remains steadfast in fulfilling its Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action and is collaborating with the Government and partners at all levels – federal, provincial, local and district authorities – to identify and address the needs of children, women, and vulnerable groups.