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Press Releases & Updates

26 MAY 2015

Oxfam reaching Nepal’s most isolated in a race against the monsoon

One month on since the first earthquake hit Nepal, Oxfam is in a race against time to deliver life saving aid to the most remote communities before the imminent monsoon hits the country.

Mountain guides and porters are assisting Oxfam with its relief delivery in the Gorkha district, one of the worst hit by the earthquake, where up to 90 per cent of the homes have been destroyed and communities have been cut off by landslides.

On 17 May, the first team of porters and mountain guides trekked from devastated Barpak, the epicentre of the first earthquake, for over four hours to reach Laprak, a hamlet 2700m above sea level. They were carrying tarpaulins and hygiene kits – the equivalent of almost 2.5 tonnes of aid materials – to displaced people. Oxfam is now planning similar activities to reach other isolated communities as soon as possible, since the monsoon could hit anytime in the next four weeks.

In the last month, two large earthquakes and more than 100 aftershocks have devastated Nepal, killing over 8,600 people and leaving millions affected.

So far Oxfam has reached over 150,000 people in seven of the worst hit districts of Nepal, providing clean water, emergency shelter and food.

Oxfam has trucked clean water to over 30,000 people in Kathmandu valley, and distributed enough tarpaulins for over 50,000 people across Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchok. In Nuwakot, Oxfam has also delivered food baskets, with rice, lentils and oil rations for two weeks for over 25,000 people.

Orla Murphy, head of the Oxfam Nepal earthquake response said, ‘With Nepal expected to receive 80 per cent of its annual rainfall over the three-month monsoon period, the top priority for Oxfam is to make sure people have safe shelter. We have also distributed rice seeds to farmers who need to plant a new crop before the rains start. Two out of three people in Nepal rely on small scale farming for a living. Many of them have lost their loved ones in the earthquake, their homes, reserve crops and their seeds. If we don’t act quickly, they risk losing next year’s crop too and becoming dependent on aid.’

‘We need to keep providing immediate emergency relief to people, and at the same time start supporting them towards long term recovery; people need to be able to start rebuilding their lives.’

Oxfam aims to reach up to 400,000 people by the time the monsoon sets in. Over the next three years, Oxfam is planning to deliver a US$56 million relief and recovery programme in Nepal. So far it has raised over US$40 million, largely through the generosity of publics around the world.

Donation methods for Oxfam’s Nepal Earthquake Emergency Response are as follows:

Donations can be transferred to the various bank accounts of Oxfam Hong Kong:

Hong Kong

  • HSBC: 001-6-331860
  • Bank of China: 012-874-0-010515-7
  • Hang Seng Bank: 284-401080-003
  • Bank of East Asia: 015-133-40-07328-2
  • OCBC Wing Hang Bank: 035-802-862123-001

Macau (MOP)

  • Bank of China Macau: 01-01-20-840951
  • OCBC Weng Hang: 743342-001
  • Banco Tai Fung: 201-1-10056-9
  • ICBC Macau: 0119100200005410616
  • BNU Macau: 9012625045

(Please choose Special Programme: Nepal Earthquake and send this form with the original bank receipt and write ‘Nepal Earthquake’ on the back)

Other donation methods:

Online donation (HK)

Online donation (Macau)

 

Notes to the editor

  • Oxfam is working across camps in Kathmandu Valley as well as in rural districts: Nuwakot, Sindhupalchok, Dhading and Gorkha;
  • Oxfam aims to reach 400,000 by the time the monsoon hits;
  • Last week Oxfam started distributing seeds to farmers in Sindhupalchok, and is planning on extending the distribution to Dhading and Nuwakot in the next two weeks;
  • On Saturday 25 April, Nepal was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake; this was followed by another 7.3 magnitude earthquake just over a fortnight later; between the two earthquakes there were over 100 aftershocks up to 6.7 magnitude;
  • 8631 lives were lost and 17838 were injured; the figures keep rising every day.

Photo caption

Oxfam is working with mountain guides and porters to deliver life saving aid to the most remote areas of Nepal before monsoon season begins. (Oxfam/Sam Spickett)

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About Oxfam

Oxfam is a worldwide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Sarah Chu (Senior Communications Officer)
Telephone: + 852 3120 5280 / + 852 9276 0064
Email: sarah.chu@oxfam.org.hk

Clara Law (Assistant Communications Officer)
Telephone: + 852 3120 5272 / + 852 6088 8930
Email: clara.law@oxfam.org.hk

Photo Credit: Oxfam/Sam Spickett

Photo Credit: Oxfam/Sam Spickett

Photo Credit: Oxfam/Sam Spickett