What Is the Status of Essential Services in Flood-Affected Areas and How Can Support Be Accessed?
Image source, RSS
Following the Rasuwa-Trishuli floods, many displaced individuals are residing in various holding centers across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Kathmandu.
Although the initial number of residents in these centers was low, the rising influx from Monday onwards has led to challenges related to food, accommodation, and health.
Dawa Mingmar Tamang, a flood victim from Rasuwa, has been staying at a cover hall in Ward 2 of Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot, for four days.
He reported that while food and lodging were adequate for the first two days, problems have begun to emerge with the increased number of people.
“After running out of gas, we started ordering bread from outside. Initially, all arrangements were fine. But as more people arrived, issues began,” he explained.
Currently, this cover hall accommodates 148 people, according to Tamang.
Health workers visit the holding center daily in the morning and evening to conduct health check-ups, he added.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, approximately 2,900 people are staying in various holding centers across Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, and Kathmandu, with the highest concentration of around 2,500 individuals housed in 19 centers in Nuwakot alone.
Pemba Ghale Tamang from Rasuwa has been staying at the Tamang Plaza banquet hall in Ward 4 of Bidur Municipality since Saturday.
“There is no shortage of food here, but due to either the weather or other factors, children are suffering from colds, coughs, and fever. Elderly people also are experiencing nausea,” Pemba shared.
“Yesterday, the police transported those individuals to a nearby health post for treatment.”
How is management maintained at any holding center when there is a shortage of health workers or cooking gas?
Mayor Rajan Shrestha of Bidur Municipality said, “After receiving reports of gas shortages, coordination was made with the Chief District Officer, and arrangements to supply gas have been initiated. Furthermore, a team comprising health officers and the municipal health chief has been dispatched to camps without health workers, and this deployment continues.”
Officials have confirmed that arrangements have also been made to accommodate not only those who have lost their homes but also people coming to search for their relatives.
Ganesh Aryal, Chief District Officer of Chitwan, revealed that various organizations, entrepreneurs, businesses, and hospitals in Chitwan are supporting food, shelter, and medical treatment for those seeking missing persons.
In Chitwan, where over 300 bodies have been discovered due to flooding, the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association has arranged free accommodation for people coming to find their relatives.
Krishna Kumar Mahat, General Secretary of the Chitwan Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, reported that to date, 575 individuals have received free accommodation across 60 hotels in a phased manner.
Additionally, auto-rickshaw operators in Chitwan are providing free transportation for relatives of missing persons using 25 rickshaws.
Navaraj Lamichhane, President of the Joint Ambulance Drivers Association, said that ambulances in Chitwan are transporting recovered bodies free of charge.
So far, 838 people in Chitwan have registered names of missing persons. Officials noted that those seeking missing individuals outnumber those who became homeless due to the floods.
How Is the Government Managing the Situation?
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority is coordinating from the central to local levels to organize essential supplies such as food, water, shelter, and medical care.
Sushil Kumar Shrestha, an official responsible for grievance redressal at the authority, explained that teams from the center assess specific local needs and coordinate with districts and local bodies to deliver essential materials accordingly.
He added, “If anyone requires food, shelter, or medical treatment in any location, they can contact local officials at nearby camps or holding centers to receive assistance.”
“Local representatives are made responsible for each center. Individuals should reach out to them for accommodation.”
“The center is leading various shelter clusters that oversee needs and provide management, covering services from sanitation to health care.”
Currently, eight monsoon response clusters under the authority are actively working, according to him.
How Can Individuals on Regular Medication Obtain Medicine?
The Ministry of Health and Food Safety has established help desks at holding centers in affected areas where health workers provide ongoing treatment.
The ministry has also ensured the availability of necessary medical supplies when needed.
Many flood victims have lost their regular medications for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and other ongoing conditions.
Samir Kumar Adhikari, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, stated that individuals facing such issues should report to the help desks, where health workers will provide support.
“If medicine is unavailable, we ensure patients receive it. Medicines are available in every district,” he said.
Additionally, people can receive health services and psychosocial counseling by calling hotlines 1115 or 1116.
“District health offices are managing regular health services and medicine distribution at camps and shelters in affected areas, accessible through these help desks,” he added.
How Can People Donate Relief Materials?
Since the devastating floods, many individuals and organizations have expressed willingness to deliver relief materials to affected regions.
For this, they should contact the central authority to understand specific needs before providing assistance. Relief supplies must not be directly delivered to holding centers, clarified grievance officer Shrestha.
“There is a relief deployment team at the center. Donors can meet them, and based on assessed needs, materials are dispatched to districts,” Shrestha explained.
He also mentioned that donors can consult the authority’s website for detailed information on needed relief items and contact persons.
“Our website lists essential relief materials along with contact details to facilitate communication and donations,” he added.
Concerns regarding delayed relief distribution and ineffective rescue in remote areas of Rasuwa have been voiced on social media.
The authority assures ongoing efforts to reach all locations and has emphasized improvements in Rasuwa despite existing challenges.
“Wherever road connections are cut, we are working on delivering aid, including opening routes and using dozers to transport relief materials,” spokesperson Shanti Mahat stated.
With assistance from Shaktimaya Tamang from Nuwakot and Ishwar Joshi from Chitwan