National
Sudden rainfall hinders distribution of relief
As the government struggles to get relief packages to the quake-affected people, its effort could be further hindered due to rain.Roshan Sedhai
The majority of the estimated 8 million people displaced by the earthquake, including those living in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts, have not received even basic necessities like food and drinking water. Most families are living in plastic, cloth and tarpaulin tents.
The rainfall, which is predicted to last for at least next 24 hours, has made life under the canopies miserable for thousands of families.
The delayed and insufficient response from the government in providing food, clothes, blankets, tents, water, and sanitation and medical facilities in the affected areas has particularly affected the children and the elderly.
“We have been surviving on noodles and ready-made snacks. There is not enough drinking water. Many kids and old people in our areas are suffering from hunger and various illnesses,” said Gamala Manandhar, who lives near Basantapur Durbar Square.
At the historic square and its vicinity, there were around 200 people waiting in queues to fetch drinking water, buckets in hand. Locals say many in the surrounding areas are suffering from seasonal influenza but are not getting basic medicines.
The lack of essential supplies is not just limited to the Durbar Square area. Many locals living in the worst-hit localities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur say that they have not received the much-needed relief supplies because the relief teams still have not been there.
The Post’s reporters in Gorkha, Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Dhading and Kavre say the people have not received adequate attention from the government. Most of the houses in these districts have been reduced to rubble.
Officials have said though they could not ensure speedy delivery of relief material for the first two days, but claim that they are getting things done now. They say that they have been providing food, water, medicine and first aid kits to most of the affected areas in and outside the Kathmandu Valley.
“We have been providing relief material from 16 places in the Valley. The relief supplies have been delivered to various places in Kavre, Dhading, Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Gorkha and Bhaktapur,” said Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, the Home Ministry’s spokesperson. Officials said that the relief distribution could not get on track for the first two days because the focus was on rescuing people.
The officials added that on Tuesday, the rain had hindered relief distribution work.
“The rain has affected our rescue efforts too,” said DIG Kumar Singh Bam.
The rescue teams have said that they are still pulling out survivors from piles of rubble and plan to carry out rescue operations in Kathmandu for a few more days.