OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Nepal: Sunsari Flooding
21 August 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Kathmandu, 21 August 2008

This situation report is based on information received from the OCHA 
Office in Biratnagar, UN Agencies and humanitarian partner organisations

I. Situation in Sunsari District, Eastern Nepal

1) Flooding: The flooding of the Koshi River in Sunsari starting on 18 
August has caused two VDCs, Haripur and Shripurjavdi to be completely 
inundated. The flood also partially covered Laukihi (flooding occurred in 
the Western part of the VDC) and Paschhim Kushaha (it is reported that 
wards 3, 4, 8 and 9 are flooded while wards 1,2,5,6 and 7 are not). Other 
VDCs in the area (Bhokraha, Madhuwan, Narshigha, Bashntapur and 
Dhuskighat) have experienced some limited flooding and are hosting 
displaced people.

2) The East West highway remains impassable and may take considerable time 
to repair. The NTC phone service is restored as of the morning of 21 
August, but has been intermittent and difficulties should be anticipated 
for some days. The mero mobile network is working. CDMA is not working.

3) Displacement: The Government estimates that at least 35,000 people are 
affected by the flooding in the area. The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) 
reports a number of one person dead, 5,787 displaced families with 34,826 
affected persons as of 21 August. The majority were displaced quickly and 
moved with limited belongings and supplies. The rescue operation 
continues. As of 5:00 pm of 21 August there were roughly 10,900 people in 
20 shelters in Inaruwa, the District HQ of Sunsari as well as in Saptari. 
It is presumed that the remaining affected/displaced people have settled 
with extended family, settled along the highway (often with cattle), 
settled in not yet identified shelters, remaining at home in partially 
flooded areas to protect assets, or are still being rescued. Numbers for 
these categories are currently unavailable.

4) Agencies should assume that this population will remain displaced for 
2-4 weeks as the repair of the embankment remains impossible with current 
water levels. Without this repair, flooded areas will remain 
uninhabitable.

II. Initial response

5) Ongoing assessments: There is a need for coordinated assessments of 
affected areas. Many agencies are visiting the larger shelters and limited 
information is available about accessible areas outside Inaruwa. Agencies 
are requested to provide assessment results to OCHA forfurther 
dissemination and to check with OCHA to see what areas may not have been 
assessed.

6) The Sunsari district chapter of the NRCS has mobilized its local 
volunteers for humanitarian response. 30 NRCS trained persons are deployed 
for the assessment of the situation and to provide assistance to the 
affected. The Damage and Need Assessment (DANA) is expected to be complete 
by 22 August.

7) Two additional inter-agency assessment teams are visiting affected 
areas outside Inaruwa on 22 August, using the Initial Rapid Assessment 
(IRA) tool.

8) A protection (incl. child protection) assessment team will deploy on 22 
August. The assessment team will comprise of UNICEF, DCWB/WDO, WVI, NRC, 
Save Alliance, TPO, OHCHR, and the Education Cluster. (Important contact 
details: UNICEF Biratnagar, 526692/526612, 98420 50786, and sat phone 
#882168 7700068. )

9) Actors on the ground: The Government continues to take the lead in 
coordinating the relief efforts. The NRCS has mobilized its local chapters 
and volunteers and has provided ready-to-eat meals to 3,200 persons at the 
shelters in Sunsari until 21 August. UNICEF, LWF, ActionAID, British Nepal 
Medical Trust, UMN, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision, 
Care Nepal, Caritas, Nepal Christian Relief Society, IRC, Oxfam, WHO, WFP, 
UNFPA and UNHCR have all sent staff to the area since 19 August. OCHA 
maintains a presence in Inaruwa in an effort to coordinate.

10) Please see the attached matrix for distributed, available and 
potential resources.

11) Emergency Shelter and NFIs: 20 Shelters have been established in 
schools as well as other locations. Please see table 1 below with details 
of the shelters. The fluctuation of people in and out of the shelters has 
made it very difficult to establish precise numbers of displaced/affected 
persons. NFIs are being distributed by the various agencies.

12) Food: Immediate food needs are being met with donations of ready to 
eat foods from the Government, INGOs, NGOs, UN and local civic 
organizations. WFP is making resources available for feeding up to 20,000 
people for two weeks. However, there is a need for medium term food 
assistance.

Attachments: 
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=0D32D09CB0DF9A64492574AD001B8AAE&file=Full_Report.pdf


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