One week on, villages in Nepal are still without assistance

(Vatican Radio) With the death toll rising to over 6,600 and many thousands more suffering injuries following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the situation in Nepal is still dire.  Many remote villages, a week later, are still without adequate food, water and shelter.  Further compounding the situation, some of the villages are inaccessible even by the already stretched helicopter rescue and supply efforts.

In an interview with Vatican Radio, Patrick Fuller, the Spokesman from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, mentioned that the situation for the Nepalese in major towns is much more fortunate, with shops beginning to reopen and bus services allowing people to travel and visit their families.

Click below to listen to our report:

The Government of Nepal has also renewed its appeal for International donors and support.  The Information Minister Minendra Rijal told reporters that Nepal immediately needs 400,000 tents but has so far only been able to provide 29,000 to those citizens without adequate housing.  In addition Basic food supplies such as grains, salt and sugar are still urgently required.  In parts of Kathmandu, the slaughter of animals and the sale of meat and fish products has been suspended in order to prevent disease from spoiled meat and unsanitary conditions. 

Unicef has reported that around 15,000 of the Nepal's children are gravely malnutrition, this is in a country currently where 40% of children are already chronically malnourished.  At present at least 3 million people are in need of assistance with many thousands of people currently living in camps across the country after being displaced following the destruction of their homes.