A large scale 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northwest of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on 25 Apr 2015, killing thousands of people, destroying buildings and infrastructure. IHP was requested by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to deploy staff and assets to support the critical relief efforts.
The shocks of the earthquake was felt in the surrounding countries and more than two dozen people were also reported killed in India, China and Bangladesh. The Nepalese Government has reported over 2,200 deaths and over 5,800 injured people as of 26 Apr. These figures are expected to increase as more information becomes available. The damage to roads, buildings and other infrastructure is severe. A few hours after the earthquake the Government officially requested for international assistance, especially in terms of Search and Rescue and medical capacity.
UNOCHA has activated assessment teams (UNDAC) and requested IHP to assist in enhancing coordination and communications capacity as well as securing adequate living and working conditions for staff. IHP is deploying 1 coordination module (On-Site Operations Coordination Center – OSOCC), 3 light base camps and 4 ICT modules to support the response efforts.
The IHP deployment is led by the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and supported by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) and the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB).
Cover Photo Credit: UNDP Nepal
