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Children comprise more than half of the human casualties in the 6.4 magnitude quake that struck Jagarkot and Rukum West last Friday, police data show, putting the number of children succumbing to the disaster at over 80. 

The disaster has rendered about 10000 people shelterless, said government officials, while initial estimates put the number of school buildings destroyed in the quake at 300.

 Heather Campbell, Country Director for Save the Children in Nepal, said, “Children are scared. Many have lost relatives; thousands have lost their homes. The constant aftershocks and terror of another quake means they have been forced into the open. With temperatures dropping, they need shelter, warmth and nutritious food.   

 “We are worried that the longer the children live outside, the greater the chances of contracting pneumonia. They are also at risk of contracting waterborne diseases, as safe drinking water is scarce. There is an urgent need for toilets and washing facilities,” Campbell said. 

“Children are vulnerable and need spaces where they are safe and can continue to learn. We need to ensure their safety and protection as disasters like this can lead to severe mental distress. Recovery from the trauma of losing loved ones and homes will not be a quick process. They need stability.”  

 14 schools destroyed in Bheri 

In Bheri municipality, the jolt has destroyed 14 school buildings, whereas 78 school buildings have suffered damage, the municipality’s data show. The tremor has killed 11 students and three teachers in the municipality, while 31 students have sustained injuries. 

Forty-seven classrooms, nine toilets and four compound walls have turned into rubble in the quake, whereas 122 school buildings, 476 classrooms, 38 toilets, nine fences, one science lab, nine ICT labs and two solar systems have suffered damage.

In Rukum West, the quake has claimed 14 students, destroyed 15 school buildings and caused damage to 20 schools. 

President reaching out

President Ramchandra Paudel on Tuesday reached out to the survivors of the quake and assured them of all possible help from the state in rebuilding their lives. He visited Sitali Kami of Bheri municipality-1, who is undergoing treatment at Jajarkot district hospital for injuries sustained in the quake. 

He assured Sitali that the state would provide assistance for the reconstruction of her house damaged in the quake. Paudel also stressed that the survivors need temporary shelters. 

While interacting with the survivors at Thaple of Bheri-3 after visiting the spot where Nalagadh municipality’s deputy mayor Sarita Singh had lost her life in a house collapse, President Paudel pledged that the government will expedite reconstruction works and address other concerns of the survivors in a gradual manner. 

No relief for survivors 

Five days into the quake, government agencies have still not been able to provide for most of the survivors facing a grim winter with almost all of their possessions lost, as if bereavement were not enough. Local levels have not been able to provide blankets and bedding in required numbers to people like Ganesh Thapa of Bheri-3, who said he has not yet received warm clothing. 

Relief materials have not yet reached most of the remote places outside the district headquarters, with representatives of various organizations distributing these materials in the villages as per their convenience instead of giving due priority to the most affected ones. 

Local communities do not know how to remain safe even as frequent aftershocks have been occurring here.

Meanwhile, relief materials reached Barekot rural municipality on Monday, two days after the earthquake. Chair of the municipality Chair Bir Bahadur Giri said,  “As people in the rural municipality have been living out in the open, protecting them from cold is a major challenge.”

NC, CPN (US) donate to relief fund

Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Unified Socialist) have made contributions to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

A delegation of NC office-bearers, including President Sher Bahadur Deuba, visited Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar to hand over a cheque bearing Rs 5m, meant for the survivors of the quake. A delegation under CPN(Unified Socialist) Chair and former PM, Madhav Kumar Nepal, presented a cheque bearing Rs 2.5m to PM Dahal.  

CPN(US) also submitted a nine-point proposal to the government regarding post-earthquake relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts. The party lauded government measures in response to the earthquake, particularly the search and rescue operations, recommending that the federal government oversee and facilitate the implementation of a one-door policy for rescue and rehabilitation efforts by ensuring the leading roles of provinces and local governments toward that end. 

During the meeting, PM Dahal assured that the best practices in post-disaster management will be followed. He said, “With the search and rescue operations completed, the focus has now shifted to the second-phase response, including relief and rehabilitation.”

Dahal said he held separate meetings with the ambassadors from the neighboring countries regarding disaster relief. 

The meetings with the ambassadors focused on the management of storage facilities at the local level and development of integrated settlements based on geographical features of the affected areas. 

The Global Equity Fund and USAID Trade and Competitiveness jointly launched the Nepal Women Growth Equity Fund, Nepal’s first fund focused on women entrepreneurs, on Tuesday.

The fund will unlock investment opportunities for women and increase women’s access to financial services to enable them to grow their businesses. 

“This event is a perfect example of how the US Government partners with the private sector to foster entrepreneurship and economic growth in Nepal,” said the US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks, adding, “The Nepal Women Growth Equity Fund will help address the systemic challenges that are faced by the women entrepreneurs in accessing financing.”

Women entrepreneurs face multiple complex barriers to start and operate businesses, but one persistent barrier is limited and unequal access to capital. To overcome this, the Global Equity Fund through the Nepal Women Growth Equity Fund will raise and mobilize NPR 500 million investment (USD $3.5 million). It will increase women entrepreneurs’ access to growth capital, build their capacity, and foster linkages to domestic and global markets. The Fund is expected to support over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, reads a statement issued by the Global Equity Fund.

Chairman of Nepal Private Equity Association, Siddhant Raj Pandey appreciated the partnership   between the Global Equity Fund and USAID Trade and Competitiveness.

Pandey remarked, “This initiative will provide great support to women-led enterprises to diversify their service offerings and improve their productivity, making them market leaders.”

As Nepal recovers from the economic impacts of COVID-19, increased accessibility and availability of diversified financial resources for small and medium enterprises is critical–especially for women.

The Nepal Women Growth Equity Fund will help address this need to create a vibrant and resilient investment ecosystem where women can participate and realize their full economic potential. 

President Ram Chandra Paudel today visited the earthquake-affected Jajarkot district on Tuesday.

The Head-of-the-State made a visit to the Jajarkot Hospital to take health updates of the people injured in the disaster.

During the President's visit, the survivors appealed to him for adequate medical care for the injured, and the security of food and shelter for the affected. 

The President assured that the needs of the affected would be addressed and he would discuss the matter with the government, according to the President's press advisor Kiran Pokhrel.

"Immediate and long-term needs of all of you will be assessed and addressed. Don’t worry. I will talk to the government," Pokhrel quoted the President as saying.

On the occasion, Jajarkot's Chief District Officer Suresh Sunar apprised the President of the loss due to the earthquake and the hospital doctors briefed him of the situation of the injured.

The President reached Jajarkot today from Surkhet to take stock of the post-quake situations there.

At least 157 people had died when an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit Jajarkot district at 11:47 pm on Friday.

According to Pokherel, the President will visit the district headquarters Khalanga, Ramidanda, the epicenter of the earthquake, Nalgadh and Aathbiskoth of Rukum West to take stock of the progress in the rescue and relief efforts.

He is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, Chief of the Army Staff and Karnali Province lawmakers.

It may be noted that the President canceled his Europe trip scheduled to take place from tomorrow, November 8, citing that it was inappropriate to leave the country in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

Major political parties have concluded that they would move ahead unitedly against the attack on the Constitution.

In the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the leaders discussed various issues of the peace process, CPN (Maoist Center) Vice-Chairperson Pampha Bhusal said.

The Prime Minister held a discussion with the supporters of the 12-point agreement, peace process and Constitution, Busal said.

“The Prime Minister held a discussion with the supporters of peace agreement, Constitution and federal democratic republic,” she said.

Saying that the system is being attacked in recent times, the Maoist Center leader said that the major parties have made a conclusion to move ahead unitedly against the same.

She further said that Prime Minister Dahal will organize a broader assembly soon to resolve the problems seen in the economy.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML Whip Mahesh Bartaula said that the Prime Minister had called them to discuss the 12-point agreement and contemporary issues.

Saying that the government has not been able to deliver to the people, has become a mute spectator and the economy is in shambles, he said that they alerted the Prime Minister on the occasion.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 11.22 points to close at 1,858.76 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 2.46 points to close at 358. 19 points.

A total of 4,331,229-unit shares of 285 companies were traded for Rs 996 billion.

Meanwhile, Laxmi Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 8. 16 percent. Likewise, Swabhimaan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 8.26 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 86 trillion.

Nepal government and 16 development partners agreed to consolidate and scale up financing and technical assistance to support Nepal to implement a set of high-priority investments and policies in line with Nepal’s Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID).

A joint communique to operationalize Nepal’s GRID Strategic Action Plan was endorsed at a high-level event organized today by the Ministry of Finance with support from the World Bank and other development partners.

 At the event, the government, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector stakeholders, and think tanks also renewed their commitments to work across institutional and sectoral boundaries to continue to finance and implement Nepal’s GRID priorities. 

“In Nepal, we have already internalized the GRID approach to build a greener, more resilient, and more inclusive economy that can withstand shocks, protect our environment, and uplift the lives of our people,” said Finance Minister, Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat. “Nepal’s new GRID Strategic Action Plan can be a policy vehicle that accelerates growth and job creation, strengthens livelihoods, and boosts the prosperity of Nepali people sustainably.”

The external financing for the GRID Strategic Action Plan includes grants and other concessional financing such as subsidized loans, and innovative financing such as carbon finance. External financing is complemented by Nepal’s public budget and also aims to leverage foreign and domestic private sector investment.

The GRID Strategic Action Plan identifies a set of ten priority actions including: managing land, water, and forests in a more productive, sustainable, and integrated way for more resilient infrastructure, ecosystems, and food systems; equipping people with new skills and resilient livelihoods.

Other areas include :  greening urban development; scaling up water supply and sanitation, reducing air pollution and managing solid waste; scaling up renewable energy; boosting the sustainability and resilience of transport; strengthening disaster risk management; and enhancing social protection and health systems to be more responsive to shocks.

“The World Bank is proud to support Nepal to take this strategic step toward a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economy,” said Anna Bjerde, World Bank Managing Director for Operations. “Nepal’s GRID approach focuses on the quality of development and growth—the type of growth that reduces extreme poverty, narrows structural inequalities, protects the environment, sustains the growth process, and makes it more resilient.”

Investment priorities in the GRID Strategic Action Plan aim to build on Nepal’s development success stories, scale up action on the ground, help mobilize private sector investment, and deliver sustainability along with resilience and inclusion at the same time.  This will help create more jobs for more people; build the resilience of people and their livelihoods; boost environmental, climate, water, and food security; and create opportunities for a more inclusive and durable economy, World bank said. 

Bagmati Province Physical Infrastructure Development Minister Yuvaraj Dulal’s Personal Security Officer (PSO) was found hanging from a tree on Tuesday.

Yam Bahadur Subedi (40) was found hanging near Bandevi temple in Hetauda-11 at around 6:30 am today, DSP and spokesperson of the District Police Office, Makwanpur Laxmi Bhandari said.

The body has been sent to the Hetauda Hospital for postmortem.

Police said that they are investigating the case.

The United Nations has said that around 1.3m people might have been exposed, and about 0.25m may need humanitarian assistance within 72 hours of the earthquake. 

Days after 153 people were killed and several hundred injured, another strong earthquake with 5.6 magnitude struck  on Nov 6. On Nov 3, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck in the Jajarkot and Rukum Districts of Karnali Province, causing widespread damage.

With the completion of the government’s search and rescue operation, the number of deaths stands at 153 (Male: 70, Female: 83) and 338 (Male: 138, Female: 200) injured. The initial findings of the Government’s Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA) launched on Nov 5 say over 4,000 homes were damaged in the hardest hit districts, UN said in a press statement.

Following the initial assessment of the remote damage assessment of available secondary data satellite images USGS data and earthquake risk model, around 1.3m people might have been exposed and about 0.25m people may need humanitarian assistance within 72 hours of the earthquake, the UN said in a press statement. 

In response to the earthquake—the largest to impact Nepal since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015—United Nations agencies have been providing temporary shelter, food, and non-food items as part of a comprehensive and urgent response to the pressing needs of the affected communities.

UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said, “The government has immediately responded very effectively with search and rescue operations. Despite geographical remoteness and a difficult operating environment.

The UN agencies and humanitarian partners are on the ground supporting the government’s efforts by reaching out to around 3000 households with food, shelter, WASH, protection, and health support. More than 382 aftershocks were reported forcing people to spend nights in the open or makeshift shelters in freezing overnight temperatures.  “The impact of this latest earthquake is compounding the difficulties and vulnerabilities of communities with low socio-economic indicators and stretched coping mechanisms.”