Nepal: Earthquake 2015 - Office of the Resident Coordinator - Situation Report No. 04 (as of 27 April 2015; 7:00 pm) [EN/NE]
As of 27 April, the Government reports 3,351 deaths and 6,833 injured people.
8 million people in 39 districts have been affected, of which over 2 million people live in the 11 severely affected districts.
Priority needs include food, water, shelter and medication. Over 1.4 million people are in need of food assistance.
A Humanitarian Staging Area (HSA) in Kathmandu International Airport has been set-up to mitigate congestion at Kathmandu Airport.
3,351 Dead (as of 27 April 2015)
6,833 Injured (as of 27 April 2015)
8 million Affected (as of 27 April 2015)
Three days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Central and Western Regions of Nepal, aftershocks continue to affect the daily lives of people. Many people continue to sleep outdoors. On 27 April, the Government has issued a public statement dispelling rumors of another imminent large earthquake and encouraging people to return home, where possible. (Source: NEOC - http://neoc.gov.np/en/)
Over the past 24 hours, the Government increased the number of deaths from 2,288 to 3,351 people. At the same time, the number of injured rose from 5,850 to 6,833 people. These numbers are expected to increase further as search and rescue teams reach remote areas. Most of the deaths are recorded in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Lalitpur.
According to initial estimations and based on the latest earthquake intensity mapping, 8 million people in 39 districts have been affected, of which over 2 million people live in the 11 severely affected districts.
The estimated number of affected people was calculated using data from the 2011 Census and Government guidance that 50 per cent of the total population in affected districts is affected. This includes the number of households living in poor quality and vulnerable homes with outer walls and/or foundations made of substandard material. The number of households affected was further estimated based on the intensity of the earthquake as it was estimated to have been felt in each location. These figures are based solely on baseline data and models. It is an indicative figure which can be used only for preliminary planning.
According to early indications, 1.4 million people are in need of food assistance. Of these, 750,000 people live near the epicenter in poor quality housing. Impact on agriculture based livelihoods and food security is expected to be extremely high.
Immediate needs for health include medical tents, medication, surgical kits and body bags.
In the Kathmandu Valley, public life remains quiet. While small grocery shops have opened their doors today, large businesses remain closed. With fuel reserves running low, cars and trucks are lining up at gas stations in town. Banks remain closed. While automatic banking machines are functional, replenishment is not occurring.
Mobile networks in Kathmandu remain functional. At the same time, network outage and overloads are still common. NCELL has provided Rs.20 per day for customers and 50 free SMS per day while Nepal Telecom has provided no-charge for short term calls.
Power throughout the city is limited with most households and offices mainly relying on generator power.
A Humanitarian Staging Area (HSA) in Kathmandu International Airport has been set-up to avoid congestion at the main entry points of affected areas and ease the flow of life-saving commodities, where large-scale relief activities are being undertaken. While main feeder roads are open, many side roads remain blocked and inaccessible.
Meteorologists have predicted rainfalls for the coming ten days.