News

With the death toll rising up to 6621 and UN reports of 90 percent homes in Gorkha being damaged, and hospitals in most affected districts being completely destroyed or badly damaged to function, media coverage of earthquake today in Day 8 continues with Nepali authorities ruling out possibility of finding more survivors and general public cautioning over aid mismanagement. With reports of aftershock again in Gorkha, the fear and the trauma of the earthquake hasn’t eroded yet. Major stories covered today are presented below:

Outbreaks

As the days of the earthquake incident are extending organizations working in public health issues such as UNICEF are concerned over heightened risk of cholera and diarrheal diseases. The US Embassy Medical Unit claims that after a natural disaster, deaths are rarely due to infectious diseases and claims that deaths after a natural disaster are caused often due to blunt trauma, crush-related injuries, or drowning. It suggests that water should be boiled or disinfected or use of iodine tablets to avoid contamination. Similarly, to prevent sickness, it has recommended hand washing, avoiding frozen goods (especially meat and fish), treating drinking water and eating only cooked food. A controversial statement was made by Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) that no epidemics will over as a result of the earthquake while Swasthya Khabarpatrika today has reported that there is already diarrhea outbreak in Haku VDC of Rasuwa.

Aid Management

It is good news that the fund flow hasn’t stopped but rather increased with Fulkumari Mahato Memorial Trust declared to provide 150 million rupees for relief and reconstruction in the affected districts. Exciting news is that Facebook was able to raise more than 10 million dollars just within two days. USAID alone has provided a total of $12.5 million of support as Humanitarian Assistance to Nepal. From the political front, Nepali Congress party has also pledged to donate 10 million rupees to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the earthquake victims.

With all these fundraising efforts, there has been criticism about government’s one-door relief fund policy as it has resulted in delay of aid distribution. Another concern is related to aid transparency with an online petition being launched to audit and investigate earthquake fund in Nepal.

Government Efforts

As a reaction to criticisms regarding aid management, the Chief of Army Staff opined that the coordination of foreign aid relief has been satisfactory given the extent of aid flowing and the nature of the calamity. Finance Minister via his personal Twitter account also clarified that relief materials coming from abroad will not be taxed. However, he also expressed that it is the duty of the government to have strict vigilance over its misutilization. In order to make drugs available for emergency health treatment of quake victims, Department of Drug Administration has requested drug retailers to make available drugs immediately. Republicareports that for the quake victims in the 253 VDCs of five most affected districts, the government has also announced to provide grant of Rs. 900,000 each. The daily also reports that the government has started damage assessment for buildings in the capital.

Public Reactions

Public reactions as reflected in the media today deal with criticism over statement of government authorities that there is remote possibility of finding survivors while the government not being able to reach out in rescue operations in remote places in the villages. Noodles are being extensively used as immediate relief food item for the survivors and therefore there was a concern raised by an individual that noodles industry should be tax free during this period. Sindhupalchowk is the most affected district in terms of deaths, injuries and damages of houses, as a result the aid has been pouring in the district. However, the locals there suspect corruption and request anyone willing to provide them relief to be directly hand over the relief items rather than through any agency. In social media, there has also been a lot of debate and discussion on government’s efforts in aid management – one narrative criticizing government’s efforts and the other narrative supporting the same. An individual through his personal Twitter account recommends for more action and less talk as he requests, “Please stop this sickening narrative. Internationals good, Nepal government bad. No one stopping anyone from helping. Do now, talk later please.”

Innovative Relief/Rescue Efforts

With the days prolonging, the relief and rescue efforts have also been continuous. New York Times reports that Nepalese through the extensive use of internet have been using 3 specific methods to aid in quake relief: Open Mapping, Crowd Funding and Volunteer Coordination. India Today presents that in order to help manage growing piles of relief supplies clogging Tribhuvan International Airport, US Military Aircraft, Heavy Equipment and Air Traffic Controllers are arriving in Nepal today though World Food Programme claims that there is systematic logistics management at Kathmandu airport as reported by the IRIN News. Humane Society International is taking care of animals abandoned or injured in Nepal Earthquake.

Bhaktapur, an ancient city enriched with cultural heritage has been completely destroyed due to earthquake. India Times reveal that the Bhaktapur residents are not keen on using cranes and they are collecting debris using bare hands. They say that use of cranes will destroy the artwork.

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative of Harvard University has been supporting the earthquake relief efforts by using Kobo Toolbox for realtime data collection and sharing system and working with Crisis Mappers Network to establish a map of needs in the region. HHI's Signal Program is also supporting the mapping of IDP camp locations with satellite imagery. Beth Israel Disaster Medicine Team and The Massachussets General Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine are also providing medical treatment to the quake victims.

Israeli Army has set up a makeshift hospital in Chhauni and has been providing health treatment. A baby was born today in the hospital, as shared by an individual via Twitter. Sankhu a highly affected place in the outskirts of Kathmandu has been entertaining scores of NGOs and INGOs as it is near to Kathmandu and there has been public concerns over difficulty in relief operations due to crowd of onlookers. To avoid similar problem and also to provide immediate relief to the people who are in utmost need of shelter, USAID reports that it is planning to airlift plastic sheeting and materials for shelter.

Maternal and Child Health

Women and children are the most vulnerable population that need special care and attention at this moment. Save the Children presents a staggering figure of 260000 children being homeless after the earthquake while e-kantipur.com provides a figure of 60000 pregnant and new mothers been badly affected by the earthquake. UNICEF has set up child-friendly open spaces in Kathmandu in order to address their issues of trauma and helplessness during this period.

The Way Forward

 

With the massive earthquake in Nepal, UNDP is reflecting on its efforts towards disaster management in vulnerable countries and with the nature and scale of destruction, the Nepal experience could be a good lesson learnt for effective disaster management.

With the death toll rising up to 6621 and UN reports of 90 percent homes in Gorkha being damaged, and hospitals in most affected districts being completely destroyed or badly damaged to function, media coverage of earthquake today in Day 8 continues with Nepali authorities ruling out possibility of finding more survivors and general public cautioning over aid mismanagement. With reports of aftershock again in Gorkha, the fear and the trauma of the earthquake hasn’t eroded yet. Major stories covered today are presented below:

Outbreaks

As the days of the earthquake incident are extending organizations working in public health issues such as UNICEF are concerned over heightened risk of cholera and diarrheal diseases. The US Embassy Medical Unit claims that after a natural disaster, deaths are rarely due to infectious diseases and claims that deaths after a natural disaster are caused often due to blunt trauma, crush-related injuries, or drowning. It suggests that water should be boiled or disinfected or use of iodine tablets to avoid contamination. Similarly, to prevent sickness, it has recommended hand washing, avoiding frozen goods (especially meat and fish), treating drinking water and eating only cooked food. A controversial statement was made by Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) that no epidemics will over as a result of the earthquake while Swasthya Khabarpatrika today has reported that there is already diarrhea outbreak in Haku VDC of Rasuwa.

Aid Management

It is good news that the fund flow hasn’t stopped but rather increased with Fulkumari Mahato Memorial Trust declared to provide 150 million rupees for relief and reconstruction in the affected districts. Exciting news is that Facebook was able to raise more than 10 million dollars just within two days. USAID alone has provided a total of $12.5 million of support as Humanitarian Assistance to Nepal. From the political front, Nepali Congress party has also pledged to donate 10 million rupees to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the earthquake victims.

With all these fundraising efforts, there has been criticism about government’s one-door relief fund policy as it has resulted in delay of aid distribution. Another concern is related to aid transparency with an online petition being launched to audit and investigate earthquake fund in Nepal.

Government Efforts

As a reaction to criticisms regarding aid management, the Chief of Army Staff opined that the coordination of foreign aid relief has been satisfactory given the extent of aid flowing and the nature of the calamity. Finance Minister via his personal Twitter account also clarified that relief materials coming from abroad will not be taxed. However, he also expressed that it is the duty of the government to have strict vigilance over its misutilization. In order to make drugs available for emergency health treatment of quake victims, Department of Drug Administration has requested drug retailers to make available drugs immediately. Republicareports that for the quake victims in the 253 VDCs of five most affected districts, the government has also announced to provide grant of Rs. 900,000 each. The daily also reports that the government has started damage assessment for buildings in the capital.

Public Reactions

Public reactions as reflected in the media today deal with criticism over statement of government authorities that there is remote possibility of finding survivors while the government not being able to reach out in rescue operations in remote places in the villages. Noodles are being extensively used as immediate relief food item for the survivors and therefore there was a concern raised by an individual that noodles industry should be tax free during this period. Sindhupalchowk is the most affected district in terms of deaths, injuries and damages of houses, as a result the aid has been pouring in the district. However, the locals there suspect corruption and request anyone willing to provide them relief to be directly hand over the relief items rather than through any agency. In social media, there has also been a lot of debate and discussion on government’s efforts in aid management – one narrative criticizing government’s efforts and the other narrative supporting the same. An individual through his personal Twitter account recommends for more action and less talk as he requests, “Please stop this sickening narrative. Internationals good, Nepal government bad. No one stopping anyone from helping. Do now, talk later please.”

Innovative Relief/Rescue Efforts

With the days prolonging, the relief and rescue efforts have also been continuous. New York Times reports that Nepalese through the extensive use of internet have been using 3 specific methods to aid in quake relief: Open Mapping, Crowd Funding and Volunteer Coordination. India Today presents that in order to help manage growing piles of relief supplies clogging Tribhuvan International Airport, US Military Aircraft, Heavy Equipment and Air Traffic Controllers are arriving in Nepal today though World Food Programme claims that there is systematic logistics management at Kathmandu airport as reported by the IRIN News. Humane Society International is taking care of animals abandoned or injured in Nepal Earthquake.

Bhaktapur, an ancient city enriched with cultural heritage has been completely destroyed due to earthquake. India Times reveal that the Bhaktapur residents are not keen on using cranes and they are collecting debris using bare hands. They say that use of cranes will destroy the artwork.

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative of Harvard University has been supporting the earthquake relief efforts by using Kobo Toolbox for realtime data collection and sharing system and working with Crisis Mappers Network to establish a map of needs in the region. HHI's Signal Program is also supporting the mapping of IDP camp locations with satellite imagery. Beth Israel Disaster Medicine Team and The Massachussets General Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine are also providing medical treatment to the quake victims.

Israeli Army has set up a makeshift hospital in Chhauni and has been providing health treatment. A baby was born today in the hospital, as shared by an individual via Twitter. Sankhu a highly affected place in the outskirts of Kathmandu has been entertaining scores of NGOs and INGOs as it is near to Kathmandu and there has been public concerns over difficulty in relief operations due to crowd of onlookers. To avoid similar problem and also to provide immediate relief to the people who are in utmost need of shelter, USAID reports that it is planning to airlift plastic sheeting and materials for shelter.

Maternal and Child Health

Women and children are the most vulnerable population that need special care and attention at this moment. Save the Children presents a staggering figure of 260000 children being homeless after the earthquake while e-kantipur.com provides a figure of 60000 pregnant and new mothers been badly affected by the earthquake. UNICEF has set up child-friendly open spaces in Kathmandu in order to address their issues of trauma and helplessness during this period.

The Way Forward

 

With the massive earthquake in Nepal, UNDP is reflecting on its efforts towards disaster management in vulnerable countries and with the nature and scale of destruction, the Nepal experience could be a good lesson learnt for effective disaster management.