Nepal earthquake: Eight million people affected, UN says

Eight million people have been affected by the massive earthquake in Nepal, and 1.4 million are in need of food aid, the United Nations says.

International aid has started arriving but there is still a shortage of medical equipment, food and body bags.

The 7.8-magnitude quake hit Nepal on Saturday destroying buildings in Kathmandu and severely affecting rural areas across the region.

A government official said on Tuesday the death toll had risen to 4,310.

Almost 8,000 people have been injured, home ministry spokesperson Laxmi Prasad Dhakal said.

Nepal and surrounding areas have continued to experience aftershocks. Thousands in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, spent a third night outside, too afraid to go back into their houses.

Water, food and electricity are in short supply and there are fears of outbreaks of disease.

“According to initial estimations and based on the latest earthquake intensity mapping, eight million people in 39 districts have been affected, of which over two million people live in the 11 severely affected districts,” said the most recent report from the UN Office of the Resident Co-ordinator.

This camp had been set up on a playground and even now there are quite a few children playing. But it no longer resembles a safe place. There’s rubbish everywhere, paper plates, wrappers and plastic glasses are strewn all over.

“It’s getting quite bad,” says one man who is here with his wife and four daughters. “We’ve been here for three days and we’ve been living on instant noodles. There’s nothing else to eat.”

His house is not badly damaged, but he is adamant that he will not go home despite the challenging conditions in the camp.

“We’ve heard all these rumours about more earthquakes and aftershocks. We will not leave this place, not for a while.”

©BBC