WFP Aids Nepal Earthquake Relief, Partners With Government

WFP
Skanda_Gautam_Nepal_Earthquake
Jajarkot district in Nepal's Karnalia province was one of the worst-hit areas in Friday's earthquake. Photo: WFP/Skanda Gautam

The mud structures housing some of Nepal's poorest people never stood a chance - survivors of Friday's 6.4 magnitude earthquake, which killed 157 people in the country, are sleeping rough after their homes were destroyed.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting the Government of Nepal and partners in mobilizing relief supplies for families who find themselves suddenly without their homes and belongings.

WFP's despatched 6 metric tons of ready-to-eat emergency food to the affected areas, helping provide sustenance for approximately 7,500 people over three days - with additional reserves on standby.

Food distribution in Jajarkot
A WFP food distribution in Jajarkot in the wake of the earthquake. Photo: WFP/Skanda Gautam

Families were asleep when the tremor struck around midnight, demolishing scores of houses in Jajarkot and West Rukum, leaving people without shelter.

WFP is in close contact with other UN agencies and humanitarian partners as they respond, assessing the scale of impacts in affected areas.

Food is organized for distributionin Jajarkot
Food is organized for distribution Jajarkot - WFP runs a number of Humanitarian Staging Areas around Nepal in anticipation of such disasters. Photo: WFP/Manoj Thapa

WFP's sub-office in Surkhet, in Karnali district, around 300km from Kathmandu, is working with local authorities as it deploys staff to the affected districts to assess needs and coordinate food distributions.

Food is delivered in Nepal
Destruction in Nepal
People affected by Friday's earthquake in Karnali state receive fortified biscuits from WFP. Photo: WFP/Manoj Thapa

The organization is providing logistics support to the Government and humanitarian partners through its network of Humanitarian Staging Areas.

Located strategically across the country, the staging areas are a crucial part of emergency relief operations run by the Government of Nepal.

Home destroyed in Nepal
Photo: Damage suffered by a home after the earthquake in Karnali state. WFP/Manoj Thapa

Over the weekend, WFP, on behalf of the National Logistics Cluster, has supported the movement of government relief supplies, including blankets, tarpaulin covers and sleeping bags pre-positioned in Kathmandu.

WFP has also supported the despatch of tarpaulin covers and reproductive health and hygiene kits on behalf of humanitarian partners, including the World Health Organization, the UN Population Fund and UNICEF.

The disaster follows the deadly earthquakes that killed more than 1,400 people in Afghanistan in early October. WFP responded to those within hours, distributing fortified biscuits, specialized food to prevent malnutrition in children, along with fortified wheat flour, vegetable oil, pulses and salt to affected families in destroyed villages.

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