Red Cross supporting quake-hit Nepal along road to recovery

22 April 2016

NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS

Media release

Red Cross supporting quake-hit Nepal along long road to recovery

A year after devastating earthquakes hit Nepal, Red Cross continues to provide much-needed support and training in affected communities.

Monday 25 April marks one year since Nepal was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, killing thousands of people and damaging hundreds of thousands of homes. Just weeks later, on 12 May, a second 7.3 magnitude quake struck, causing further devastation and deaths. In total 8,856 people were killed in the quakes.

New Zealander Rosemarie North is in Nepal working with Red Cross, which has been at the forefront of the response and recovery operation. Red Cross staff and volunteers continue to work with affected communities, helping families get back on their feet, she says.

“Red Cross has been on ground in Nepal since day one and has worked tirelessly to help those affected. In the first six months, the Nepal Red Cross Society reached more than three million people with emergency help. This support is ongoing as communities begin their long recovery journey.”

A year on, destruction caused by the quakes continues to pose a threat to people’s health and well-being.

Rosemarie says Nepal offers particular challenges to the recovery effort, including mountainous terrain and a lack of existing infrastructure in many areas worst hit by the quake. The single biggest challenge is helping people rebuild or repair the 800,000 houses that were damaged or destroyed, leaving up to four million people without a safe place to live.

Despite these challenges, progress is being made, with plans in place for Red Cross to build homes in 11 of the worst-affected rural districts. Red Cross has also helped people access safe water and healthcare, as well as helping families restore their livelihoods through cash grants, which enable farmers to buy crop seeds.

Rosemarie says the NZ$3 million in donations made by New Zealanders has helped make a significant difference to the Nepalese people.

“New Zealanders have always shared a special connection with Nepal and the Nepalese people. This was evident in the aftermath of the earthquakes and New Zealanders’ support has been incredibly well received here.”

While the April and May earthquakes caused catastrophic damage, they were not the cataclysmic earthquakes that scientists have long predicted and the ‘big one’ has yet to strike. Because of this vulnerability, and Nepal’s exposure to a number of other hazards, the Nepal Red Cross is continuing to put considerable effort into disaster preparedness. Red Cross has been training stonemasons, carpenters and builders so Nepal can rebuild safer homes and structures, helping communities prepare for future disasters.

“The aim is to leave people in a safer and more resilient position - because this earthquake won’t be the last one,” Rosemarie says.

New Zealand Red Cross deployed three aid workers to Nepal within 72 hours of the earthquake. A total of 15 aid workers, including nurses, telecommunications, and security and logistics specialists were deployed to Nepal in the first six months following the earthquake.

ENDS

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