[DIPECHO Network] Disaster updates_Government of Nepal appeals for help to cope with natural disaster

[Santosh Nepal]

<http://www.disasterpreparedness.icimod.org/viewcontent.php?id=25&keyword=&Start=0&link_id=d1ba2aa4747c6017d68451daaa2f3aab>Government 
of Nepal appeals for help to cope with natural disaster
Source: nepalnews.com

Minister for Foreign Affairs Sahana Pradhan, Friday, invited 
representatives of Kathmandu-based foreign diplomatic missions and 
international aid bodies at the Ministry and appealed for help to cope with 
consequences of natural disasters.

Due to weeks-long monsoon rainfall, floods and landslides have affected 
most parts of the country. Particularly, Terai districts have been ravaged 
by the floods with human toll reaching 86. Around 200,000 people have 
already been displaced from their homes. Minister Pradhan informed that 
60,000 people needed to be fed for at least three months period. At the 
meeting with the Minister, most of the foreign representatives pledged help 
to Nepal. They have agreed to provide emergency as well as long term 
assistance. British ambassador Dr. Andrew Hall said that DfID will be 
looking at how it can help in the reconstruction and rehabilitation. The 
acting ambassador of the United States, Robert Hugins, said that his 
government had provided $ 50,000 humanitarian assistance to the Nepal Red 
Cross Society as initial response. "We will look at new information and 
make available further assistance as needed," he said. Earlier, the World 
Food Programme (WFP) in Nepal had committed to help in feeding of 60,000 
persons.

The appeal is attached herewith.

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Related news:

<http://www.disasterpreparedness.icimod.org/viewcontent.php?id=19&keyword=&Start=0&link_id=c8733a25ed086bb1635b13fd43420d71>Nearly 
10,000 Families Displaced by Floods and Landslides; Toll Reaches 93 in Nepal
Source: nepalnews.com

The Home Ministry has said the death toll in recent flashfloods and 
landslides across the country has reached 93 while a total of 9723 families 
have been displaced.

The ministry Sunday said 33 districts had been hit by floods, affecting 
58,000 families. Banke, Bardiya, Rautahat, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Bara, 
Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari and Morang were worst hit districts.

Though life in the affected areas is gradually returning to normal with the 
monsoon rains subsiding, relief missions are yet to reach out to some of 
the hardest hit areas, leaving the victims in serious want of food and shelter.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula today visited Banke and 
Bardiya districts and inspected the relief operations going on there.

The Home Minister who arrived in Nepalgunj with a team of some eight-party 
leaders told reporters that the government was intensifying diplomatic 
efforts to minimise the problem of floods triggered by bordering Indian 
dams including Laxmanpur dam. He, however, did not clarify as to how much 
progress has been made from the "diplomatic efforts".

Separately, Health Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel visited the two 
mid-western districts today in the wake of fears of possible outbreak of 
diseases in flood-hit areas.

In Nepalgunj, he told a news conference that the government had made all 
necessary arrangements to check outbreak of diseases from taking place. 
Hundreds of medics are working on the grounds with necessary medical 
supplies, he claimed.


With best regards,
Santosh

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Santosh Nepal
Water, Hazards and Environmental Management
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
GPO Box 3226
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977-1-500 32 22
Fax: +977-1-500 32 99
E-mail: sanepal at icimod.org
VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
http://www.disasterpreparedness.icimod.org
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