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ICRC brings additional help for flood victims

Responding to the urgent need of flood victims for shelter, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is bringing in an additional 5,000 Tarpaulins upon the request of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) for distribution to families affected by the recent floods and landslides.

"The tarpaulins, which will arrive by a special flight at the Tribhuvan International Airport at 20.30 hours, were procured outside the country after available quantities in Kathmandu , Birgunj and Biratnagar were sold out", says Mary Werntz, Head of the ICRC in Nepal . "Working in partnership with the NRCS, the ICRC has already delivered 4,000 tarpaulins to the NRCS in 11 flood-affected Districts. This new stock will be distributed by the NRCS to Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi and Saptari," she added.

"As I speak, trucks are moving and NRCS volunteers are delivering additional relief materials in every region of the Terai. Additionally, ICRC assistance has already reached over 1,000 families in the form of kitchen sets, blankets, clothing materials and plastic buckets. It also continues to provide field vehicles and other logistic support to NRCS teams working directly with affected communities," she concluded.

The decision of the ICRC to fly in the emergency supplies is a stop gap measure designed to sustain the large on-going relief operations of the NRCS until the maturation of the international appeal already launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The appeal is seeking CHF 2.3 million to further meet the needs of the victims of the floods and landslides. nepalnews.com sd Aug 10 07