earthquake

Oxfam has launched an emergency appeal for survivors of the South Asian earthquake which hit Afghanistan and Pakistan earlier this morning. Oxfam teams are working with local authorities and organisations to assess the scale of the damage and teams are ready to respond where needed. 

Relief for the 8 million people affected by the huge Nepal earthquake six months ago is still being disrupted by delays in reinstating the government’s National Reconstruction Agency, says Oxfam. An on-going fuel crisis is adding to the problems, putting at risk the health and safety of thousands of people as winter approaches. More than 8,600 people were killed and half a million houses destroyed by the quake.

On 25 April 2015, Nepal was struck by a massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake that left nearly 9,000 people dead and destroyed or damaged more than 850,000 homes. Many of the affected people have received some support from the Government of Nepal and aid organizations, but others are still waiting for assistance. 

Women in Nepal are living in fear of abuse because of the lack of privacy and security afforded by temporary shelters, Oxfam said today.

The international community must support the Nepalese government to grasp a golden opportunity to rebuild the country and make it more resilient to future disasters.

Tens of thousands of people have seen their homes flattened or damaged to such an extent that it is not safe for them to return.

Three trucks carrying tarpaulins, foam sheets, water containers, chlorine tablets and solar lamps have left Gorkhpur and another two have departed Kolkata with water filters and latrine construction materials.

The people of Nepal are in dire need of shelter, clean water, food and medical treatment. Thanks to your support, we have started providing clean water and sanitation facilities to earthquake survivors in camps, and are assessing needs in rural areas.

A bottleneck of people and supplies at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport combined with nationwide fuel shortages, blocked roads and difficult terrain is hampering the efforts of aid agencies and emergency services to reach earthquake survivors.