Various agencies within the United Nations (UN) have launched emergency response programmes to facilitate the victims of the recent earthquake that rocked west Nepal.

Issuing a press release on Monday, the UN Nepal stated that they had been providing temporary shelter, food, and non-food items as part of immediate response to the urgent needs of the affected people.

“The government has immediately responded very effectively with a search and rescue operation,” said UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy. “Despite geographical remoteness and a difficult operating environment, the UN agencies and humanitarian partners are on the ground supporting the government’s efforts by reaching out to around 3000 households with food, shelter, WASH, protection, and health support.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) is providing logistics support to the government and humanitarian partners through the Humanitarian Staging Area, as well as has rapidly dispatched six metric tonnes of ready-to-eat emergency food to the affected areas, reads the statement.

Likewise, the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting local and national authorities to respond to the health needs of the affected population and has deployed two basic modules of the interagency emergency health kits to provide crucial aid.

Another UN body UNICEF has been dispatching critical emergency supplies to the affected areas and supporting response efforts to reach the most vulnerable victims.

“As of November 5, UNICEF distributed 1,067 sets of tarpaulins and 1,300 pieces of blankets to the affected population, with additional sets dispatched,” said the UN agency.

UNICEF is also providing water sanitation and hygiene supplies consisting of hygiene kits and temporary toilets for the displaced populations in the two most affected districts [Jajarkot and Rukum West] to avoid disease outbreaks.

Similarly, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has deployed supplies for women and girls to meet their basic sanitation, menstrual hygiene and sexual and reproductive health needs in the midst of the disaster.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has also been providing collaborative assistance to the provincial government for response and has deployed human resources to support the Provincial Emergency Operation Centre with information management.

The intergovernmental organisation has put emphasis on the importance of a unified and rapid response to alleviate the suffering caused by this crisis.

“The collaboration with the government and local authorities remains steadfast in ensuring effective and efficient aid delivery to the affected regions,” the UN said.

At least 153 people died, hundreds were injured and thousands were displaced by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that rattled Jajarkot and West Rukum of Karnali Province on November 3.