4th Consignment Of Relief Materials, Equipment From India Arrives In Quake-Hit Nepal

Three weeks after back-to-back earthquakes rattled the remote western mountain region killing over 150 persons, Nepal on Tuesday received the fourth tranche of emergency medical aid and equipment for the quake-affected families.

As part of the continued "humanitarian efforts" as first responder to support people of the Himalayan nation in their times of need, India has regularly sent aid to Nepal since the 6.4-magnitude earthquake on November 3 that jolted Jajarkot and Rukum districts killing 153 people and injuring over 260 others.

The November 3 quake caused the worst human and infrastructure losses since the devastating jolt of April 2015. On November 7, three tremors of over magnitude 4 hit Jajarkot injuring at least 16 people.

"Fourth tranche of relief support comprising vital medicines & equipment for the earthquake-affected families reaches Nepal. India's humanitarian efforts continue to support people in Nepal," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X along with photos of the relief material being handed over to Nepalese authorities.

Fourth tranche of relief support comprising vital medicines & equipment for the earthquake affected families reaches Nepal.

India's humanitarian efforts continue to support people in Nepal. pic.twitter.com/aK7HXfCBWG

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) November 21, 2023

The latest tranche comes after five elderly people, including two women, who were staying in makeshift tents died last week due to harsh cold weather in Jajarkot district. Their homes were rendered uninhabitable by the destructive earthquake, which damaged around 8,000 buildings, both public and private.

Carried by a special Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 flight, the third tranche comprising blankets, sleeping bags, tents and essential medical supplies, etc. for the quake-affected families in the mountainous region where people are facing a shortage of food, warm clothes and medicines, was delivered on November 9.

This consignment had reached three days after the second such aid of nine tonnes reached here on November 6. The second consignment too had essential medical and hygiene supplies, tents, sleeping bags and blankets.

India was amongst the first countries to send relief material just two days after the November 3 quake as its first consignment of more than 11 tonnes of relief materials including tents, tarpaulin sheets, blankets, and sleeping bags along with essential medicines and medical equipment reached Nepal on November 5.

Apart from India, Nepal continues to receive aid from various foreign bodies. Last week, the European Union had provided a EUR 2 million aid package to Nepal. 

The grant assistance provided by the EU is equivalent to around Nepalese Rs 290 million and will help provide shelter, access to clean water and sanitation, and health care, among other services, to support the earthquake-affected people in the Jajarkot and Rukum districts of Nepal.

In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude quake damaged nearly 800,000 houses besides killing nearly 9,000 people, according to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment Report, 2015.

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