The initial Damage and Emergency Need Assessment carried out by Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has shown that more than 54,000 people living in the eastern belt of the Saptakoshi River have been displaced so far as the river changed its course through densely populated human settlements on 18 August 2008. According to the assessment, 8 Village Development Committees (VDC) are badly affected, and some others are still at risk of flooding.

The displaced persons are accommodated in schools and campuses with relatives or in other open buildings. A significant number of affected people is unwilling to leave their houses and belongings and are thus staying in the affected area where security forces continuing to rescue people. At current, 26 temporary shelter camps have been established in schools in Inaruwa.More than 17,000 displaced have been supported with the most necessary relief goods. As there is need to support displaced people outside the camps, the NRCS regional warehouses located at Biratnagar and Birgunj have dispatched tarpaulins to support emergency shelters for the affected population staying in the both eastern and western sides of the Saptakoshi River.

The NRCS headquarters, regional office and the district chapters are working in close cooperation with the Home Ministry, civil authorities in the district and other stakeholders. At the request of the local authorities, NRCS is taking a lead role in overall distribution of the relief materials. To support the relief operation carried out by the concerning district chapters, the NRCS has deployed trained staff from the headquarters to the field. Most of the trained staff of Sunsari and neighboring district chapters and approximately 200 volunteers are mobilized in the affected areas.

Damage and Emergency Need Assessments are being carried out by a joint team of the NRCS and the local authorities. Over 200 NRCS volunteers and trained staff, both from district and HQ level, have been mobilized for the registration of the displaced in the camps to be able to distribute beneficiary cards. Up to date almost 60% of victims taking shelter in camps are already registered.

NRCS staff and volunteers are supporting the displaced people by distributing food and relief items to them. Up to date 60 tons of food, 2,730 tarpaulins, 600 blanket and 2,000 kitchen sets are being distributed. Also 5 tube wells are being provided to help with an urgent problem with lack of clean drinking water. NRCS volunteers are also helping the flood victims by giving first aid to wounded ones where needed.

The NRCS is currently advocating for supporting people to return to their original land as soon as the situation allows and to re-establish their livelihoods. The establishment of interim camps needs to stay an option of last resort.

During emergency situation, Red Cross Movement partners- IFRC, ICRC and NRCS work together in Nepal to reduce human suffering. International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is providing NRS 16 million from its Disaster Relief Emergency fund to the NRCS. The aim is to support affected people by delivering immediate assistance to 30,000 people out of more than 54,000 thousand displaced people with shelter kits and clean drinking water. The ICRC Head of Delegation in Kathmandu is also extending its services for the support by using its resources and has been working closely with the NRCS headquarters and the Sunsari district chapter.