WFP scales up response in Nepal as remote communities remain isolated

Here are the latest updates on humanitarian needs and WFP's operations.

Humanitarian needs and conditions in affected areas

• More than 84,000 people have been affected by flooding and landslides in northern Nepal, according to government estimates. The disaster has displaced communities, destroyed livelihoods and disrupted access to essential services.
• Reported fatalities have risen to more than 1,000 and thousands remain missing.
• Approximately 43,000 people, or 10,000 families, need immediate humanitarian relief according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
• Physical access to affected communities remains the main operational constraint, particularly in Rasuwa where several communities are only accessible by helicopter.
• More than 40 bridges are damaged or destroyed and unstable terrain and continued flood risks are further compounding access constraints. Mountainous terrain in affected areas is also posing challenges to air operations. Restoration of key infrastructure is expected to take several weeks.

WFP's emergency food response

• Within hours of the disaster, WFP dispatched emergency food assistance for 5,000 people as part of the Government-led response.
• During the first week, food assistance to cover the needs of 8,000 people for 15 days was dispatched and distributed.
• WFP has procured a further 180 metric tons of food and is prepared to scale up assistance to reach 43,000 people or more, as needs become clearer.
• WFP personnel have been deployed to support assessments and identify further needs. The response will prioritize people in the worst affected parts of Rasuwa and initial food distributions will be prioritized in areas where markets aren't functioning.
• The disaster risks worsening existing nutrition challenges. Even before the floods, malnutrition, child wasting and anaemia rates were high in Nepal, with one in four children nationwide affected by stunting. Disrupted markets, lost livelihoods and reduced access to diverse and nutritious food could further increase nutrition risks.

WFP's logistics support

• With WFP support, the Kathmandu Humanitarian Staging Area is operating 24/7 as the logistics backbone of the relief effort, helping humanitarian partners and the Government of Nepal move life-saving supplies to communities affected by the floods.
• The Humanitarian Staging Area is located at Tribhuvan International Airport and acts as a central logistics hub where relief supplies are received, organized and dispatched to disaster-affected communities. It was first activated during the 2015 earthquake response and helped accelerate aid delivery.
• WFP has mobilized its global emergency response team to support the scaling up of this response. This includes specialist teams who are exploring available logistics options to improve humanitarian access to remote and hard-to-reach areas.
• WFP is standing by with air support - including helicopters and unmanned aircraft - to help deliver food and other critical relief supplies to people in the most isolated areas.
• The WFP-led Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster is being activated in-country to support the wider humanitarian response. As the designated coordination mechanism, the Cluster leads the emergency logistics and telecommunications coordination and information management, while providing shared services that enable humanitarian partners to move aid, make informed operational decisions, and reach affected communities more effectively.
• WFP's support remains firmly embedded in the Government-led response and is focused on helping relief assistance reach affected communities safely and efficiently.

Funding and support

• Before this emergency, WFP was already facing a USD 6 million funding shortfall for its operations in Nepal for the next 6 months. The full scale of humanitarian needs is still being assessed but funding requirements are expected to increase as the response expands.
• Rapid donor contributions have enabled WFP to begin emergency food assistance immediately and expand its logistics support to the wider relief operation.
• Continued support will be essential as humanitarian needs persist and affected communities transition from emergency relief towards recovery.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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