NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Up to eight million people have had their lives disrupted after a deadly earthquake shook Nepal, said the United Nations, adding there was an urgent need for relief materials ranging from tarpaulin sheets and clean water to soap and medicines.

“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 latest assessment from the U.N. Office of the Resident Coordinator.

The 7.9 magnitude quake struck just before noon on Saturday, sending buildings crashing down in the capital Kathmandu and flattening mud-and-brick homes in outer villages. Over 3,700 people have died and at least 6,000 are injured.

The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said supplies of food and clean drinking water were dwindling after the quake, which was the worst to hit the Himalayan region in more than 80 years.

In the Kathmandu Valley, public life remained quiet two days after the disaster. Small grocery shops reopened their doors on Monday but large businesses remain closed.

Cars and trucks lined up for shrinking fuel reserves at gas stations. Banks remained closed and while automatic banking machines were functional, cash replenishment was not occurring.