UMN’s emergency relief distribution programme is in full swing, with thousands of households receiving emergency food supplies, tarpaulins, blankets, utentsils and hygiene kits.

• We are thrilled to report that we have been able to complete the distribution of emergency relief materials to remote Lapa VDC, having at last been able to access a World Food Programme helicopter. All 836 households now have basic food items, tarpaulins, blankets, utensils and hygiene kits. Tomorrow (19 May) the WFP helicopter will deliver supplies to the remaining villages in Jharlang VDC, meaning that all 755 households have been reached. This is indeed wonderful news!
• On Thursday last week, 24 trucks delivered food and non-food items to four distribution centres in Jeewanpur VDC. 1985 households received emergency supplies, blankets and tarpaulins and hygiene kits. It was a massive effort.
• Big distributions have been happening in Pida VDC (2214 households) today (18 May) and are scheduled for Mahadevsthan VDC (1219 households) for tomorrow (19 May).
• A second convey of trucks made it through to Ree VDC last week, and completed distribution there. Now all 1088 households have received their emergency supplies.
• This week, UMN’s Health team is conducting training for local health workers in Dhading in emergency nutrition, hygiene and sanitation. UMN is taking the lead on this, and expects to cover 13 VDCs.
• On Sunday, UMN delivered 4 temporary shelter kits to staff in the Kathmandu valley whose houses have been severely damaged and cannot be occupied. The materials used in these corrugated iron shelters can be reused later in permanent dwellings.

Bibya Bahadur Shrestha, of Jeewanpur VDC, remembers the last great earthquake of 1934. He was just four years old at the time, and was out in the forest with his older brother, looking after the goats. He says that earthquake was much bigger than this one – the ground didn’t just move from side to side, it moved up and down as well.
 
When asked if his house had been damaged, he laughed and said: “I don’t live in a house, just a hut made with bamboo. It just bent. Some sticks fell off but it was easy to put them back on again.”

Bibya Bahadur is very glad to have the relief supplies, though. “That’s enough food for three months,” he said gleefully.

And who could begrudge him?