International Symposium
May 8, 2015

Facts in relief distribution after
Nepal earthquake (2015)
Rubel Das
Prof. Makoto Okumura
Disaster Area Support (DAS)International Research Institute of Disaster ScienceTohoku University

Nepal Preliminary

A landlocked country; (27.4 million people)
One of the poorest countries (rank= 197th in GDP)
84 percent people belief Hindu religion.

All image are collected from web

2 / 23

Perception of NepaleseDisaster is “Will of God” or as “a punishment deliveredby God”: God comes to earth to solve injustice.
Caste system is strong in Nepal. Low caste people areexcluded from several social activities.

< prayers after earthquake >Nepal was 4th vulnerable country to earthquake.
How about preparation?
3 / 23

Economical impact after
25 March 2015 earthquake

Historical tourist structures are almost damaged
Several Mt. Everest climbers are killed by earthquake
Climbing path of Mt. Everest is damaged
4 / 23

Comparison with previous earthquake
Killed: 8413+ people
Homeless: over 2.8 million

9040

8413+

Injured: 14,000 people
Food demand: about 3.5 million

1934- M 8.4
2015 – M 7.8160786

80893* As May 7, 2015 subject to update* Killed number source: Red cross, Nepal

People Killed

Damaged houses
5 / 23

Tally of death: severity varies

As May 1, 2015 [USGS]
6 / 23

Response from different sources
Fritz and Mathewson (1956) defined relief convergence as“the movement or inclination towards a point”
Personnel convergence, i.e., movements of individualsMaterial convergence, i.e., movement of items
Fromoutsideof Nepal

KAP

To
victimsof Nepal

KAP= Kathmandu airport

7 / 23

Airport as access point
1. Why relief converge to only KAP?
2. Is it efficient? What can be alternatives?

Fromoutsideof Nepal

KAPTovictimsof Nepal

KAP= Kathmandu airport
1. Kathmandu international airport*: Max 190 tones* Nepal has only one international airport
8 / 23

Logistical preparation

1. Humanitarian staging area in Kathmandu airport
 Managed by WFP Provided free of cost for storage facilities to aid agencies
 Benefit: Decongest airport
 Opened: March, 2015
9 / 23

Logistical problem in single convergence point

1. Piling up of relief at single point
2. Limited workers
3. Congestion in unloading from cargo flight
10 / 23

Logistical problem in single convergence point
4. Sorting and arranging relief items according to needs isessential<Tents and other supplies for earthquake victims at the airport in Kathmandu >11 / 23

Dispatching from Kathmandu staging area
 Inaccessible due to poor
development of secondaryroad. Even though major roadare functioning Limited number of truck
WFP contracted 25 trucks which
is far less than requirement
 Difficulties in dispatchingarise from shortage of fuel,road, and drivers

WFP=World food program12 / 23

Alternatives of single convergence point
1. Alternative staging point in Nepal Capacity is limited
2. Access through India
International AP

Access pointfrom India
13 / 23

Alternative 1

Nepal
KAP

Fromoutsideof Nepal

SP2

To
victimsof Nepal

SP= staging point
1. Need to introduce more staging point within Nepal
2. Though all airports are not equipped with proper facilities
14 / 23

Alternative 2

Nepal
KAP

Fromoutsideof Nepal

India
SP2

To
victimsof Nepal

SP= staging point
1. Nepal and India have close tie.
2.After Haiti earthquake, Dominican Republic’s airport
was utilized

15 / 23Challenges in last mileDamage of road infrastructure after earthquake
Several rural areas are not accessible even innormal period
Nepal (2007)
121

Road density (km/1000 sq km)
Rail track length km 59

Bangladesh (2007)
2079
2835

Source: World bank
16 / 23Challenges in last mileVillagers carry WFP relief productNeed helicopter to access remote areas

17 / 23

Need to consider
Required respect tovictims cultureMany victims did notreceive relief support.

Customs processing was strict

The guardian , May 218 / 23

Classification of relief item
Relief item

High priority

Low priority

Items required
immediately

May berequired laterUnsolicited
Inappropriate productExpired productetc.

19 / 23

Need to avoid

A massive file of useless cloth after Haiti
earthquake 2010; (source JHV)

Similar situation was observed after Japan earthquake
20 / 23

Leaving Kathmandu
1. People is interested to leave Kathmandu due to poor support
2. There are limited number of bus (or other transport)
3. High density of Kathmandu makes relief distribution
challengingDensityKathmandu

Tokyo

13225 person/ sq km

6038 person/sq km

Source: wikipedia
21 / 23

Suggestion
1. Cash donation to donor is preferable
2. Procurement of relief items from local market
3. Collaboration with local organization to understandvictims need
4. Priority of relief: Avoid bringing unsolicited item
5. Priority of need changes frequently.

6. Centrally updated information sharing

22 / 23

Thank you for listening

For further contact
rubeldas@irides.tohoku.ac.jp
mokmr@m.tohoku.ac.jp

23 / 23

Updated route, Nepal-WFP
2Direct access

124 / 23