A strong (7.8) earthquake hit Nepal in the area near Barpak VDC of Gorkha district, a mountain village between capital Kathmandu and tourist town Pokhara on 25th April, 2015. It was the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake. And, another new earthquake (6.8) hit Nepal on May 12, 2015.

 

As reported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are 49 quake-hit districts. Among them, 14 districts including Sindhupalchowk, Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Dolakha, Gorkha and Dhading have been the hardest hit. Over 8,709 people were died; almost three-times more 24,000 are injured. The Multinational Military Coordination Center reported that over 1,400 people were rescued by air. Another 1,500 people were evacuated by road. Till May 19th, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that a total of 63,885 private homes out of 68,000 in Sindhupalchowk were fully destroyed of which 57,943 houses in Nuwakot, 48,880 in Dolakha, 43,741 in Dhading, 36,973 in Kathmandu and 7,040 in Rasuwa districts. Similarly, a total of 756,000 houses have fully destroyed of which 2,607,373 houses are partly damaged. 494,936 temporary houses are to be made in the countryside before rainy season (mid-June).

 

As of May 20, 2015, 10,803 government buildings have fully been destroyed that marked red sticker and 15,034 houses marked by yellow sticker as they are partially destroyed. 41 percent (7,532) schools out of 18,289 were completely destroyed in 49 districts, but 4,650 schools are affected in 14 major-hit districts. Massive numbers 2,106 toilets and 1,363 drinking waters in schools were also destroyed. The UN Population Fund estimates that about 2 million women-girls of reproductive age and some 126,000 pregnant women have been affected. The massive avalanche triggered by the disaster killed 18 people including a Google engineer Dan Fredinburg at the Mt. Everest base camp and injured more than 60. Still 112 foreigners are unreported in Nepal.

 

The current government has been fully engaging in rescue and relief programs. Many countries sent their technical experts to save people lives from untimely death. And, billions of financial supports along with required relief materials like foods, cloths, tents, safe drinking waters were sent. However, these aids have not been reached yet to the needy people in remote areas. And, therefore, people are compelled to live their lives under the open sky. Consequently, the lives of remote areas earthquake victims have become obscurity and miserable. Since the monsoon in Nepal is starting sooner, rehabilitating the earthquake victims through constructing temporary shelters is their current need. 

 

Gorkha is one of the most vulnerable earthquake-hit districts in Nepal. In accordance with the information provided by Government of Nepal, Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal, it is reported that 447 people were killed and 953 were injured. Similarly, 228 government’s houses were fully damaged; 37 were partially damaged and 44,382 private houses were fully damaged. In addition, the District Reconstruction Committee formed under the coordination of Chief District Officer reported that 68,769 houses built with stones and clay was fully insecure for staying. Similary, 12,425 RCC houses were also partially damaged. Big numbers of families are still sitting under the open sky due to lack of appropriate support (both financial cum human resources) from the government and other concerned agencies.

 

Though adequate immediate relief materials were distributed to the earthquake victims in Gorkha, rehabilitating them through constructing temporary shelters is their prime needs now. Since the monsoon is starting very sooner in Nepal, those victims have to be protected from probable landslides and flooding in this season. While assessing their urgent needs, cent percent of them requested to reconstruct temporary shelters in order to get save from heavy monsoon. Therefore, ADWAN is taking this initiative to resolve their primary needs.

 

ADWAN is an active local NGO working very closely in Gorkha district since 1& ½  decade. It has a wider coverage of working in 11 VDCs forming 37 women groups to the date. Having long working experiences with district level concerned agencies and community people, it can easily work in these areas. ADWAN distributed approximately a total sum of NRs.18,00,000.00 immediate relief materials to the earthquake affected people. Most importantly, it reconstructed a temporary shelter for Sinjali Higher Secondary School with the mobilization of local people to resume a regular school education.

 

Though the Nepal Government has said to work immediately in constructing temporary shelters for earthquake victims, it is found less effective and less useful due to its lengthy administrative/bureaucratic processes. Therefore, ADWAN endeavors to construct 131 temporary shelters and 36 Toilets in order to accelerate government’s initiatives. ADWAN has a strong bonding with these communities in these areas and has built up its foundations working these areas through distributing them various immediate relief materials. Moreover, there could be a heavy loss of both human and physical infrastructures if these temporary shelters are not constructed in this monsoon to rehabilitate those earthquake affected people.