“Initial relief measures have primarily reached the areas near the capital Kathmandu that are easier to access. But people in very remote locations are in some cases still waiting for the essentials – they are gradually running out of food,” reports Katja Dombrowski, who is on the ground as a member of the emergency relief team together with local staff. Emergency assistance in Nepal is therefore concentrated on food parcels for the time being. Three four-wheel-drive trucks carrying 10.5 metric tons of staple foods such as rice, lentils, oil, and salt have reached a collection point in Rasuwa after a 14-hour journey along muddy tracks. From there, further distribution is being organized in coordination with the government.
“Next, we’ll be working with our local partners to ensure a supply of hygiene products,” says Katja Dombrowski. “We’re now procuring items such as soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, washing powder, towels and sanitary towels – everything that’s urgently needed for personal hygiene.” Under the current circumstances, an adequate supply of hygiene items is also vital for reducing the risk of disease.
