Nepal: race against time to reach remote villages before monsoon rains

Thirteen of the UK’s leading humanitarian agencies delivering lifesaving aid in Nepal are in a race against time to reach hundreds of thousands of people sleeping out in the open before monsoon rains make a hugely challenging aid response even more difficult. 
 
Today’s total donated by the British public is an extraordinary £31 million, an increase of £5 million on the £26 million donated in the first two days of the appeal. 
 
More than four million people are in urgent need of clean water after water sources were destroyed or contaminated in Saturday’s earthquake. Disasters Emergency Committee members are already providing tens of thousands of litres of water. However as heavy rains intensify throughout May before the monsoon season in June, there is a real risk of waterbourne disease outbreaks such as cholera and diarrhoea. 
 
DEC Chief Executive Saleh Saeed said: “DEC agencies are already beginning to reach villages and camps outside of the capital with clean water and chlorine tablets including an additional delivery of more than 1700 hygiene kits to Sankhu and Gorkha and 80,000 water purification tablets to Gorkha today. 
 
“Tonnes of supplies, including hygiene kits and sanitation equipment, are arriving in Nepal over the coming days and we need to clear blocked roads and move fast to reach people before more areas become inaccessible due to heavy rain, mudslides or landslides.
 
“Aid is getting through thanks to the generosity of the many thousands of people across Britain who have donated to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal. The scale of the crisis is huge and we urge people to continue to give.”
 
To make a donation to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal visit: http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.

  • £25 can provide clean water for four families for one month 
  • £50 can feed a family for two weeks 
  • £100 can provide emergency shelter for five families

Notes to editors:

  • The DEC brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis: ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision; all collectively raising money to reach those in need quickly.
  • All DEC agencies will support the appeal and are responding in Nepal.
  • To make a postal donation make cheques payable to ‘DEC’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’.  
  • Donations can be made at any high street bank and at post office counters. To donate £5 by text, send the word SUPPORT to 70000.  The full £5 will go to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal. Donors must be 16 years or over and have bill payers permission. Texts are free and donations will be added to the bill.