Rapid Needs Assessment Report – Plan International Nepal

Earthquake in Nepal

1. General information:

Name and the nature of the disaster Earthquake 7.8 magnitude – Nepal
Date/s on which the rapid needs 25, 26, 27 and 28th of April 2015
assessment was done.
Date on which the rapid needs 30 April 2015
assessment report is being written.
Full name, job title, e-mail and phone Murali Kunduru, Sr. Programme Manager,
number of the team leader/ person writing murali.kunduru@planindia.org
the report.
Subhakar Baidya, Program Support
Manager, Plan Nepal,
Subhakar.Baidya@plan-international.org
2. Situation Overview

2.1 Nature and intensity of the emergency

The 7.8 magnitude quake hit Nepal on Saturday destroying buildings in Kathmandu and
severely affecting rural areas across the region. Police said the official death toll in
Nepal had reached 5,582 as of late 30th April (OCHA, 30 Apr 2015). That figure did not
include the 19 people killed at Mount Everest — five foreign climbers and 14 Nepalese
Sherpa guides — when the quake unleashed an avalanche at base camp and
approximately 11,175 injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing and the
number is increasing. However, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has warned the toll could
reach 10,000. Kathmandu and its surrounding areas continuously experiencing
aftershocks. Thousands in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, spent a sixth night outside, too
afraid to go back into their houses. Water, food and electricity are in short of supply
and there are fears of outbreaks of disease.

A major earthquake followed by one hundred plus aftershocks in Nepal devastated life
and property in 39 out of 75 districts of Nepal. Two major earthquakes one measuring
7.9 and another 6.7 richteur scale happend on 25 nd and 26 April respectively. The
epicentre of these earthquakes are repored to be Barpak region of Gorkha district
about 150 km west of Kathmandu while that of second one was Kodari region near the
Nepal-China border area. Number of death and injured continues to rise as the situation
unfolds while information from remote areas in Nepal’s difficult geographical terrain is
coming in. Continuous rains are also affecting the rescue and relief operations and
further decreasing the chances of finding survivors.

2.2 Geographical extent/spread of the affected area

The following maps gives an overview of the epicentre, affected districts and
operational areas of Plan:

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The Government of Nepal has established 16 temporary relief camps in different parts
of Kathmandu. Please follow the link:
http://un.org.np/sites/default/files/Kathmandu_Earthquake_A3_27April2015_v1.pdf

2.3 Number of people affected

According to an initial estimations and based on the latest earthquake intensity

mapping, eight million people in 39 districts have been severely affected, of which over
two million people live in the 11 severely affected districts," said the UN Office of the
Resident Coordinator on 29 April. As of 30 April, 130,033 houses were destroyed and
85,856 houses damaged (OCHA SitRep). Additionally, Government premises have been
badly hit with 10,141 destroyed buildings and 13,502 damaged buildings. An estimate
of 3.2 million women and children are among the population affected by protection
concerns. Of these, 525,000 are women of reproductive age, of whom 4 per cent
(21,500) are pregnant. In Kathmandu alone 75,000 families have been affected as of
30th April, 1.00pm (OCHA)

2.4 How many children are affected?

According to UNICEF, 1.7 million children have been affected (1 May). Destruction in
Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas is extremely severe with large number of
mud-mortar houses, temples and historical monuments destroyed.

While the children survivors and their families were sent to government run relief
camps but the available services to protect children and basic needs are very minimal.
At the same time repeated aftershocks are increasing the trauma for children.

The rapid needs assessment team has observed in the field that the lives of so many
children have been torn apart and they are in desperate need of life-saving support,
including protection, psychosocial care, clean water, shelter and sanitation. While
interacting with the affected children, most of the children are in a shock of the
situation as they have lost their siblings, injuries to themselves and their family
members and friends, damages to schools etc. Few children were also burst out of the
situation while sharing their experiences and there is a need for immediate child
friendly spaces cum temporary learning centres. Situation of the infants and young
children is even worse as they need proper food including breast feeding but yet the
food supplies from government and aid agencies to reach them, especially for affected
families of hilly terrain as markets are also far off.

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Almost all the children including adolescent girls and youth are living in open areas
with no facilities for sanitation and hygiene and privacy. Though the relief camps were
set up by the government, It was observed that the relief camps have very limited
space to allow children move freely and play which is further worsening the situation of
the children.

As on 30th April, approximately 2,903 schools have been completely and 9,762 are
partially damaged as per the preliminary information from the Government. In addition
it was declared by the government that the schools will be closed for one week. This
will also have an impact on children as they will miss the peer interactions and play,
which can help reduce the impact of trauma.

Children are vulnerable to malnutrition and disease that is likely to follow by

inadequate shelter, absence of clean water and lack of nutritious food. The disruption
of health care services will further escalate this physical risks of child mortality and
morbidity.

3. Methodology

Eight Rapid Needs Assessment teams comprising of different sectoral specialist were
deployed to conduct the assessment with the support of local implementing partner
teams. Plan has completed the RNA in Makwanpur, Kathmandu Valley (Bhaktapur,
Lalitpur and Kathmandu), Dolakha , Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Kavrepalanchok. Details of
the teams, area wise, are as follows:

- 3 teams covered Kathmandu valley

- 1 team for Dolakha, Ramechhap districts
- 1 team for Tanahu and Kavrepalanchok districts
- 3 teams from the Program Unit covered Makwanpur, Sindhuli and Baglon areas

 Primary data collection was made through key stakeholder interviews, focus group
discussions, direct observations and household interviews.
 RNA questionnaire was used as a primary source for understanding the situation in
the ground.
 Secondary data from District Relief Commissioner’s office, Village Development
Committees and other Humanitarian agencies were collected.
 Information from school teachers, police department, village heads, youth clubs
were also collected.
Map over of districts covered by the RNA

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4. Needs by district
Dolakha:  According to DDRC, 90% of the houses were severely damaged
and 90% of the markets were closed. The assessment team
found no open shops at the time for the assessment.
 Persons encountered during the assessment were facing acute
shortage of food as no relief material has reached and markets
remain closed.
 Assessment team has observed that the living conditions are
very bad for people who were staying in makeshift shelters and
need to provide immediate shelter as most of the families are
living in open areas. There is a need for nonfood items such as
cooking utensils and blankets.
 Many children live with their families in makeshift shelters,
without appropriate and safe areas to play.
 School buildings have been damaged and children are worried
about their academic year. Given the level of destruction of
many of the school buildings, there will be nowhere for
education to continue unless temporary learning sites are set
up.
 Water points and sanitary facilities has been damaged.
 According to DDRC, only 26 out of 48 VDCs are accessible by
road after the earthquake. It is difficult to send relief material.
Kavrepalanch  According to DDRC and VDC representatives encountered
ok:

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 during the assessment, 90% of houses are severely damaged in
some areas. The assessment team could confirm that most
houses were severely damaged.
 Assessment team has observed that markets in Dolikhel were
functional, however in the VDCs in the hilly terrain there were
no markets open.
 According to VDC representative in Jyamdi VDC, around 80%
houses were damaged out of 1,100 households, and rests were
cracked. At a single place of the Chisapani village of Jyamdi
VDC, 11 houses out of totally 25 has collapsed. 28 deaths were
reported in whole VDC till date.
 Most persons encountered in the assessment had lost their
houses, property and food stock. They were living in an open
area near to their damaged houses and some of people were
living in the open ground of damaged.
 They managed temporarily shelter through locally available
materials like plastics, tarpaulins etc.
 In Deupur VDC, the secondary schools with about 500 students
was found to be partially damaged. The schools has been
occupies by cattle and residents live in the schools ground, as
their houses had collapsed. The furniture of the schools had
been taken out for temporary shelter construction and was no
longer serviceable. School materiel was lost. The schools
cannot be reopened as it serves as shelter.
 Children were seen playing on the main road without attention
of their parents who were occupied to manage shelter and
cooking food with improvised devises.
 People had no spare clothes and walked in wet clothing.
 Food items are being managed by the locally themselves till
date by sharing each other but it will be finished by couple of
days.
 Displaces people used open defecation. The lack of sanitary
facilities was a concern expressed by women that the
assessment team talked to.
Ramechap:  DDRC informed that approximately 25% of houses are severely
damaged.
 Team has observed that the priority needs are food assistance
and emergency shelter.
 Markets are not fully functional.
 Roads were blocked during the assessment, RNA team had to
divert through other side.
 Moderately affected district in comparison with other districts.
Tanahu:  Based on the preliminary assessment from RNA team
approximately 10,000 people have been affected with more
than 5,000 houses severely damaged. Around 60 pregnant
women 30 lactating mothers require health care.
 Assessment team shared that the mostly affected areas of
Tanahun District are Suklagandaki, Byas and Bandipur
municipalities and 9 VDCs namely: Bhanu, Rupakot, Chaur,
Abukhairini, Manpang, Chhang, Firfire, Purkot and
Barbhanjyang.
 According to RNA team 16 schools have collapsed.

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 Nearly 10000 children are affected and among them 5500 are
boys and 4500 are girls.
Makwanpur:  DDRC shared that more than 2000 houses are fully damaged
and more than 60 percent houses are partially damaged.
 More than 20 school buildings are collapsed.
 RNA team reported that this area is politically sensitive and
interference during distribution of relief material will be high.
 Fear of landslides and road blocks during the rainy season is a
challenge.
Kathmandu  Sanitation, lack of personal sewage drainage, public drainage
Valley and pipes are brushed and started to effect in health (some persons
Town are now affected of cholera.)
 Many families personally and in group have been staying in
yards/field with tents.
 The families are in need of tents and safe shelters.
 Temporary latrine facilities are required.
 Partial damaged houses are still threat.
 The temporary stay of people is 2 hours walk from the main
town could not reach to those areas as no vehicles are plying
and can be reached only by walk.
Sindhuli  Emergency Shelter, Food and medicines have been identified as
priority needs by the assessment team. There are a total of 50
VDCs and 2 Municipalities in Sindhuli district.
 Total VDCs affected in Sindhuli are 39, out of which 29 are badly
affected.
 It was also observed by the team that Ward # 1, 5, 8 and 9 of
Kamalamai Municipality are badly affected.
 Some of the badly (highly) affected VDCs are program areas
such as Bhadrakali, Bhimesor, Dandi Guranse, Jalkanya, Jha Ra,
Kapilakot, Pu Jha, Majuwa, Ranichuri, Ratanchura, Sitalpati,
Kushesor Dumj
 Almost all of the response material (tarpaulin) collected in the
DDRC store dispatched to the affected VDCs. It was reported
that there was disturbance while distributing these tarpaulins
because of the in sufficient quantity. Police and district
administration together with DDRC distribution team is trying to
resolve these disputes.
 Several groups of community visiting local Plan Offices
requesting additional support on top of DDRC mandated
response support.
 DDRC has requested Plan to supply additional tarpaulin to
distribute if possible from our side.
 DHO Sindhuli requested for some medicines/drugs for the
treatment to injured people.
4. Needs by sector

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The government and its organisations are engaged in search and rescue operations
including providing health and treatment services. However, the following gaps in
terms of coverage, needs and immediate response have been identified in the field and
also during interactions with the government, people representatives etc. Briefly, the
gaps and challenges in the ongoing response are as follows:

Basic amenities: Immediate food, shelter, sanitation and hygiene facilities are not
available in the affected areas. Government and humanitarian agencies have hardly
reached the most affected areas and emergency response operations need to be
started on priority basis to reduce the human suffering. Markets are partially functional
and most of the shops either remain closed or without stock.

Health: Hospitals and pharmaceutical shops have remained open and medical
personnel in the urban areas are treating injured people in the camps and open spaces
as hospitals are congested. However, the situation in the rural and tribal areas is very
pathetic as health centres and health posts are far away from their settlements. Hardly
health workers are visiting the villages and people who got injured are left without with
minimal or no treatment. There is a need to increase the improved health
interventions in the affected areas either directly or by partnering with health focused
organizations.

Shelter: Nepal Red Cross society is providing relief and shelter materials to the
designated camps in Kathmandu valley and few of the affected districts. However,
available shelter material is very minimal and crating tensions in the community while
distribution.

NFI: Non-food items such as hygiene kits, sanitation kits, medical kits and cooking kits
are very much required to ensure communities other needs are addressed as most of
these items were also covered by debris.

Protection: The most affected areas are high risk of child trafficking. Many children
can be assumed to have lost their care givers. Children face distress of losing home
and belongings. Escalation of domestic violence is a concern.

Education: DDRC in Dolakha, Sindhuli and Kavrepalanchok report that 70-90% of

schools are affected. Education has been suspended until 5 May. In many VDCs visited
by the team educational materiel has been lost, and schools are no longer serviceable.

5. Marginalized and vulnerable group

Assessment teams have observed that immediate risks are related to shelter, food
security and access to health services by the most marginalized communities such as
Dalits, Ethnic Minorities who are living in most vulnerable conditions and in scattered
locations of the hilly terrain. Field teams of Kavrepalanchok, Dolakha, Sindhuli and
Makwanpur shared that due to lack of accessibility to tribal areas many communities
were yet to reach by the government and aid agencies and it will further worsen their
situation if the immediate relief not reaches to these communities.

It was also reported by the assessment team that in one of the relief camps in the
Kathmandu town upper caste communities have displaced the lower caste groups from
the government run tents. It has an impact on services receiving by them in the camps
though it is very minimal.

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The social exclusion of the most vulnerable and minority groups are also not getting
proper attention due to stigma such as the HIV AIDS affected children in one of the
area in Kathmandu - Kirtipur municipality faces difficulties receiving the support from
the relief agencies as they are kept in the self managed temporary shelter in front of
the school.

Besides, the rented families in the Kathmandu city core area are also reported became
more vulnerable as they are not considered as the entitled to get the relief items as
they lack proper document/evidence so far.

The challenges and risks will be continued in reaching out the most marginalized
groups such as Dalits, HIV/AID affected due to discrimination and especially ethnic
groups due to inaccessibility of the roads apart from internal conflict.
6. Projection

 Aftershocks are happening on daily basis, keeping people in fear of new building
collapses. As tremors will become weaker and less frequent
 It is likely that death toll will continue to rise as the situation in the remote areas
unfold. Some of the areas affected are among the most vulnerable in Nepal, with
high prevalence of malnutrition, high maternal and child mortality. Children’s
access to health services, development and education were low already before
the earthquake.
 If food security, shelter, sanitation and hygiene issues are not addressed in a
timely manner, it will lead to health related emergency.
 Then monsoon season will start in 1-2 months, which will further limit the
accessibility of remote VDCs, and distribution of relief goods will be further
hampered.
 Lack of access to food, shelter and basic commodities might lead to frustration
and deteriorating security situation. Failure of relief can get political
repercussions. Communities have already started protest and road blocks in
many places due to delayed response from the government. It was also
observed in the field that the communities are not allowing government
representatives and political party leaders to enter in to their village as they are
very angry with the government’s response.
 It can be expected that it will take long time for basic services such as education
and health to recover. In the meantime it will be necessary to provide interim
solutions for continuation of services. Also there will be large needs for
rehabilitation.

7. Response Capacity of national and local authorities and civil society

actors

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 The government has declared emergency and has mobilised its major players to be
part of response including Nepal Red Cross, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and
Nepal Police in the rescue work. A high level Natural Disaster Risk Management
Committee (NDRMC) under the Chairpersonship of the Minister of Home affair
coordinates the operation from the central level. The committee is represented by
members from different departments. A disaster relief committee in the district
level is headed by the Chief district officer (CDO).

 Plan Nepal is an active member of the consortium of I/NGOs working on Disaster

Risk Management both at the national level and district level.

 All international humanitarian organizations, bi-lateral agencies and UN are very

active and activated all clusters in the country. Regular coordination meetings are
happening. The UN operation in Nepal is coordinated by UNOCHA/UNRCO.

8. International response capacity within the country

 As of 30th April, UNDAC/ foreign rescue missions deployed around 1000 members
for rescue operations. The government has appealed that it needs more logistics
including medicines and equipments than rescue teams.
 India has sent six helicopters for rescue and China has sent cargo planes with
rescue team and relief materials. Other countries sending their support include USA,
Canada, Australia, Bhutan, Poland, France, and Israel.
 Nepal’s parliament members promised one months salary.
 A Flash Appeal was launched for US$415 million to support the provision of vital
humanitarian relief for people affected by the Earthquake.
 India promised 100,000 tents and sending rescue mission. Indian parliamentarians
also promised for one month’s salary. Similarly, China, Quatar, Norway, UK, and
Australia has promised aid to Nepal. In addition to it, South Korea promised US$ 1.1
million and ADB has assured US$ 30 million.
 Most of the key INGOs are also active in Nepal. INGOs such as Plan, Save the
children, OXFAM and World Vision, UN agencies, CSOs are active in Nepal.
 However, keeping in view of changing scenario in the ground, it is certain that the
more resources are required in the pre-text of identification of increased number of
casualties, injuries and loss of properties of the affected population.’
 Plan is playing an active role in the consortium meeting at the national and cluster
level

9. Operational Environment

Availability of relief material within the country is a major challenge apart from
difficulties of terrain, monsoon, and repeated shocks. Procurement of food / non food
kits is a major challenge in Kathmandu as most of the shops remain closed and stocks
are decreasing due to closure of major highways as a result of the landslides.

Though highly in need, tents are in short of supply. The situation is worsened as it is
raining almost every day. Despite government’s repeated appeal and warning, shops
remain closed and public transportation is hardly in operation. District administration
is unequivocal in maintaining that they will look at food relief and have urged civil
society to look at other components so as not to increase chaos.

The government has called for actions, not promises or words as there is urgent need

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to reach the affected population to reduce the human suffering.

Roads linking to food supply areas are often blocked due to landslides that happen
after several shocks. There are few vehicles plying in the road as people are scared.
More 60% of the affected areas affected by power supply which has an impact on
telecommunication although not damaged, power cuts and traffic congestion have
resulted to poor access to communication including internet communication.

10. Humanitarian Country Team’s strategic Priorities

 Shelter
 Food and Nutrition
 WASH and Health including MNCH, SRH
 Protection
 Education
 NFIs
11. Analysis and recommendation on what needs and gaps Plan
should respond to.

Considering above the priority needs in the district visited by the RNA team
are as follows:
1. Shelter and NFIs: A top priority with a three pronged strategy – immediate,
transitional and recovery to build back better. Family NFI kits such as Hygiene,
WASH, Cooking and Health Kits to also be distributed on priority basis.
2. Food Assistance and Cash Transfers: Dry food kits for each family for one
month to be distributed through food kits and cash transfers (where markets are
accessible and functional in long term). Targeted Nutrition support is also
required for infants and young children and pregnant and nursing mothers.
3. Child Protection: Establish Child Friendly Spaces/Temporary Learning Centres
to address protection issues. Psychosocial care and support for children and their
care givers.
4. WASH: Sanitation and Hygiene has been identified as one of the priorities
during the assessment by the filed team.
5. Education including ECCD: No ECCD centres are functional, and consequently
temporary learning centres are the priority need. Psychosocial care and support
for children and teachers

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