IRIN
NEPAL: Over 40,000 flood-displaced face mounting challenges
26 August 2008


KATHMANDU, 26 August 2008 (IRIN) - Over 40,000 people have been 
displaced by flooding in Nepal's Sunsari District, 500km southeast of 
Kathmandu, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), and aid 
agencies say they and the displaced are facing mounting challenges.

Newly elected Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal and President Ram Baran 
Yadav have made official visits to the area, underscoring the 
seriousness of the situation: Such flooding has not been seen in the 
eastern Terai region for decades.

The Himalayan Times website on 25 August said the floods in Sunsari 
District had washed away crops worth 300m rupees [US$4.2 million].

"The situation is quite messy and there is a heavy influx of displaced 
families in the transit camps," Sanjeev Kafle, director of the disaster 
unit of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) [See: http://www.nrcs.org/], 
a national humanitarian agency, told IRIN in Kathmandu.

The flow of emergency relief aid has been increasing, but the challenges 
are growing, according to local and international disaster relief 
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

25 camps

The main problem is getting aid to families living in over 25 camps 
scattered throughout the Sunsari and neighbouring Saptari districts. 
Each camp has been temporarily catering for 200-2,000 people, according 
to NGOs.

Government officials in Sunsari said they were trying to identify land 
on which to build shelters to accommodate the families, estimating that 
it would take a good 2-3 weeks to do that.

Up till now most of the camps have been in schools (Islamic and secular) 
or on campuses.

"Emergency shelter continues to be one of the greatest needs at present. 
It may be required for 3-4 months. Many of the shelters are still 
overcrowded and there is a shortage of adequate sleeping mats 
(especially for children), private areas, separated areas, bathrooms for 
women and toilet facilities," said the most recent situation report 
[INSERT LINK: 
http://www.un.org.np/ocha-situation-updates/2008/2008-08-24-OCHA-FloodsUpdate5.pdf] 
by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in 
Nepal.

Health concerns

Meanwhile, some NGOs have expressed concern about the risk of disease 
outbreaks in the camps, especially given the growing numbers seeking 
assistance.

"Until now, not even half of the affected families have come for aid as 
they are living with relatives and trying to cope. but gradually more 
victims are now approaching [us] for help and their numbers are 
growing," warned one local aid worker requesting anonymity.

The government's Department of Health Services (DOHS) [see: 
http://www.dhs.gov.np/Default.aspx?SID=2 ] said there were sufficient 
medical supplies prepositioned in both the capital and the District 
Health Office (DHO), and that the Regional Health Directorate and DHO 
were effectively coordinating with local agencies.

But health workers said not enough was being done to improve sanitation 
and provide safe drinking water, increasing the risk of diarrhoea.

"We are concerned about the maternal health of expectant mothers and the 
health of the infants who have special needs," Bhim Kumari Pun, regional 
programme team leader for Save the Children, [see: 
http://www.savethechildren.org/countries/asia/nepal.html] told IRIN in 
Sunsari. She said more needed to be done to help these groups.

The agency has helped to distribute clothes and food to over 2,000 
children, and is distributing family kits (including blankets, utensils, 
clothes and mattresses) to over 1,100 families.

Meanwhile, the privately-owned Nepalese eKantipur.com website on 25 
August said Indian bandits were exploiting the chaos to rob passengers 
on local roads in Sunsari District after the River Saptakoshi swept away 
a section of the East-West Highway.

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