- Saturday, 21 September 2024
Jajarkot, Nov 7: Fourteen school buildings have been completely damaged by earthquake in Bheri Municipality. Similarly, 78 school buildings have been partially damaged due to the tremor that struck Jajarkot on November 3, the Municipality’s data shows.
The Municipality said 47 classrooms, nine toilets and four fences in the school compound have been completely damaged while 78 school buildings, 171 classrooms, 38 toilets, nine fences, one science lab, nine ICT labs and two solar systems have been partially damaged.
Likewise, 11 students have been killed, and three teachers and 31 students have sustained injuries in the Municipality due to the tremor.
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Earthquake-affected people living in makeshift tarpaulin sheet tents
Jajarkot, Nov 7: The road through the Jajarkot district headquarters is dotted with green tarpaulin tents. These makeshift tents put up by the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal have been providing shelter to the locals who are living under the open sky after their homes were damaged by the earthquake on November 3.
The Armed Police Force has managed the tarpaulin sheet tents to protect from cold the people who have been displaced after most of the mud-and-stone masonry traditional houses collapsed due to the 6.4 magnitude tremor.
The APF has also made arrangement for tents in the premises of Tribhuvan Secondary School as well as part of its campaign to provide temporary shelter in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
People cannot stay inside their homes due to the frequent aftershocks. The earthquake survivors are living under the canopy of the tarpaulin sheets in the school ground.
Pradip Khadka of Bheri Municipality-2 said he felt safe living under the tent built in the school premises.
The APF Nepal team has reached various wards of the municipality to facilitate in the relief distribution. The APF personnel are helping with the distribution of relief materials, counseling the earthquake survivors and lending hands in setting up tents for them.
A squad of the APF is helping in the distribution of relief at Rija of Nalgad Municipality-2. It has also been providing counseling to the distressed people in the wake of the disaster.
All the government bodies have not been able to pay much attention for the distribution of relief and rehabilitation of the earthquake survivors in outlying areas from the district headquarters. The locals lack adequate information and knowledge to stay safe from the quake even as frequent aftershocks have been occurring here.
The quake victims are facing much inconvenience even living under the tarpaulin cover as roof as the local level has not been able to manage blankets and bedding in required numbers. Ganesh Thapa of Bheri Municipality-3 complained that he has not received warm clothes.
Relief materials have not yet reached in most of the remote places outside the district headquarters. Problems have been faced as the relief is being distributed haphazardly without preparing the criteria. It is said problem has arisen in the distribution of relief as the representatives of various organisations who have reached the villages have been distributing relief materials as per their convenience.
Meanwhile, relief has reached Barekot Rural Municipality on Monday only, two days after the earthquake. Rural Municipality Chair Bir Bahadur Giri said the people in the rural municipality have been living under the open sky and protecting them from cold is the major challenge.
13 injured in major aftershock
Thirteen people have been injured in Jajarkot and Rukum West due to the aftershock that struck the area on Monday. The epicentre of the aftershock measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale was Ramidanda. The epicentre of the November 3 earthquake was also located at Ramidanda.
Two people were injured in Jajarkot and 11 in Rukum West due to the aftershock that occurred at 4.30 pm on Monday, Chief District Officer of Jajarkot, Suresh Sunar said.
Almost half those killed in quake are children
Meanwhile, almost half of those killed in the earthquake on Friday were children, it has been found. According to data with the police, 78 of the 157 people killed in the quake on the night of November 3 were children. Of the deceased children, 50 died in Jajarkot and 28 in Rukum West due to the quake, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Roka.
Twenty eight of 52 people died in the quake in Rukum West were children, said the district police chief Namraj Bhattarai. “Most of the deceased in Rukum West were children. Two 10-month-old children have also lost their lives,” he said.
According to the Jajarkot police, of the 105 deceased in Jajarkot, 50 were children, 33 women and 18 men. In Rukum West, 16 women and eight men died in the quake.
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Jajarkot earthquake: NC, Unified Socialist contribute to Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund
Kathmandu, Nov 7: In response to the recent earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West, the Nepali Congress (NC) has contributed Rs 5 million to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to aid survivors.
A delegation of NC office-bearers, including President Sher Bahadur Deuba, visited Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at his official residence in Baluwatar to present a cheque for the assistance amount.
The ruling coalition partner also submitted a nine-point proposal to the government over the post-earthquake relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts. The party lauded the Prime Minister’s initiatives in response to the earthquake, particularly the search and rescue operations. The party recommended that the federal government oversee and facilitate the implementation of a one-door policy for rescue and rehabilitation efforts by ensuring the leading roles of the provinces and local governments towards that end
During the meeting, the Prime Minister assured that the best practices in post-disaster management would be followed, and the search and rescue operations following the recent earthquake had been completed. “The focus has now shifted to the second phase response, including relief and rehabilitation.”
As he said, he held separate meetings with ambassadors from the neighbouring countries as the government wants the cooperation from the neighbours to go to the survivors in the form of quality relief. The government continues to receive financial and other sorts of support from all quarters for the disaster response.
The meetings with ambassadors were centered on the management of storage facilities at the local level and the establishment of criteria for the development of integrated settlements based on the geographical features of the affected areas.
The culture of togetherness inherited by the Nepali has been reflected this time, too, according to him.
Meantime, the CPN (Unified Socialist) contributed Rs 2.5 million to the Fund. A delegation led by the party’s Chair and former Prime Minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, called on the Prime Minister at Baluwatar and presented a cheque for the assistance amount.
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Japan expresses grief over Nepal’s earthquake
Kathmandu, Nov 7: Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko has sent a condolence message to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Prakash Saud, over the Friday’s earthquake in Nepal that caused 157 casualties and property loss.
In the message, the Japanese minister expressed her deep sorrow upon learning about the significant loss of lives and property in the disaster and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, paying her respect to the deceased.
She said the Japanese Government stands in solidarity with the government and people in Nepal during this hard time and it is ready to extend appropriate support and cooperation on the basis of local needs.
The Japanese Foreign Minister also wished a speedy recovery of those injured in the disaster, adding that Japan wanted to see the affected areas rebuilt quickly.
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IME Group hands over cheque of Rs 15 million to PM disaster relief fund
Kathmandu, Nov 7: Chairman of IME Group and the Global IME Bank, Chandra Prasad Dhakal today handed a cheque for Rs 15 million to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
The amount is provided as relief to the earthquake-affected people of Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim. It is the monetary assistance to the earthquake victims announced on behalf the companies promoted by the IME Group and the IME Foundation.
Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat and Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal were also present on the occasion.
The IME Group and IME Foundation have also pledged to provide additional relief assistance to the earthquake survivors, it is said.
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Multi-stakeholder Doda Watershed Platform formed
Kathmandu, Nov 7: The local governments within the Doda Watershed in Sudurpaschim province have formed a multi-stakeholder platform. They formed the platform in a two-day workshop held in Dhangadhi today. The workshop is organized to address interconnected issues of disaster risk reduction, climate change, sustainable development, and resilience.
The workshop unanimously elected Ran Bahadur Mahar of Shuklaphanta Municipality as the leader of the newly formed Doda Watershed Multi-Stakeholder Platform. Deputy mayor of Parshuram Municipality, Bimala Bohara is the vice-president, Chairman of Laljhadi Rural Municipality, Nirmal Rana is the secretary and Dhana Devi Thapa Magar, deputy chair of Chure Rural Municipality is the treasurer of the platform.
The meeting focussed on strategic planning for the region and agreed on immediate actions, including comprehensive geological studies of the upstream, learning from the other watershed conservation programmes, and implementing risk reduction efforts such as biological embankments.
Similarly, long-term strategy was envisioned to promote early-warning systems for floods, promote crops resistant to wildlife damage, and transform high wildlife population areas into tourist destinations.
Moreover, policies will be reviewed to address obstructions caused by protected areas like wildlife reserves and to promote climate resilience development initiatives.
The programme is jointly organised by Mercy Corps, NEEDS Nepal, and DPNet aims to promote collaboration, access to information and resources, and community involvement in local government activities. It also seeks administrative support, resource and budget allocation, and the implementation of technology-friendly multi-hazard early warning system to enhance community access and promote nature-based solutions for disaster risk management and climate adaptation, it is stated.
The platform emphasizes the importance of gender equality and social inclusion in watershed area work, enhancing the capacity of community disaster management committees, and prioritizing the issues outlined in the agreement in annual and periodic planning by local governments.
Dr Gangalal Tuladhar, a member of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and former Minister of Education; Rishi Raj Acahraya, Head of Environment, Disaster Management Section of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and Acting Secretary of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law of the provincial government, Laxmi Prasad Joshi also attended the programme.
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Security expert Thapa claims Nepal as largest net contributor to global security
Kathmandu, Nov 7: Security expert Chiran Jung Thapa has said Nepal is the largest net contributor to the global security architecture because it has directly contributed to the security architecture of five nuclear States.
Giving his personal viewpoints at the ‘Chanakya Dialogue’, an international programme on security, held in New Delhi recently, Thapa as the key note speaker claimed this.
According to him, Nepal is contributing to the security architecture of 68 other countries around the world and thousands of others are serving in the maritime domain to keep the shipping lanes safe. It is the 2nd largest troop contributing country for UN Peace Keeping Mission. Cumulatively, Nepal’s contribution to the global security architecture remains unrivalled.
Congratulating India for successfully organising the G-20 summit, he said why Nepal was not included in the Summit. He also applauded India for its recent successful launch of the ‘Chandrayaan’ and rise into the ranks of great Space Power.
“Since Chanakya’s Arthshastra is a strategy to acquire power and retain power, it is pertinent to discuss a bit about power. First, power has never been a permanent feature of any state or society as even the empires have risen and fallen and some disappeared altogether,” he argued.
As he said, Nepal remains as the significant contributor to both security and economy of India. “For security – the Gurkha regiment with 40,000 and another 50,000 in other security services. There are also 30,000 in the administrative services.”
He echoed the need of further consolidating the bilateral ties subsisting since centuries between the two countries.
The event was inaugurated by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and it was attended by senior military officers from various countries in the world. Working papers on various topics concerning security, diplomatic relations in the Asia and other nations were presented and discussed in the event.
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Earthquake tremor jolts Bajura
Bajura, Nov 7: An earthquake occurred at 12.58pm today in Bajura. The epicentre of the tremor measuring 4 on the Richter scale is located at Raya of Himali rural municipality, the Earthquake Measurement Centre, Surkhet said.
The houses here that have developed cracks due to the 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred in Jajarkot on last Friday night have become more vulnerable with the frequent aftershocks, it is said.
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Minister Dulal’s PSO found dead
Hetauda, Nov 7: The personal security officer of Yubaraj Dulal, the physical infrastructure development minister of Bagmati provincial government, has been found dead. Police said the minister’s PSO, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Nepal Police Yam Bahadur Subedi, was found hanging with a belt noose around his neck near the Martyr’s Memorial at Hetauda-11.
With posting at Khanikhola Area Police Office, Dhading, Subedi was currently working as PSO to Minister Dulal. He was found hanging, said Superintendent of Police Sitaram Rijal, the Chief of the Makawanpur Police.
Locals informed the police about this after people going for morning walk spotted Subedi seated on the base of a tree with a noose of belt around his neck.
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President visits earthquake-stricken Jajarkot
Kathmandu, Nov 7: President Ramchandra Paudel today visited the earthquake-affected Jajarkot district.
The Head-of-the-State made a visit to the Jajarkot Hospital to take health updates of those injured in the disaster. During the President’s visit, the survivors appealed to him for adequate medical care for the injured, and the security of food and shelter for the affected. The President assured that the needs of the affected would be addressed and he would discuss the matter with the government, according to the President’s press advisor Kiran Pokhrel.
“Immediate and long-term needs of all of you will be assessed and addressed. Don’t worry. I will talk to the government,” Pokhrel quoted the President as saying.
On the occasion, Jajarkot’s Chief District Officer Suresh Sunar apprised the President of the loss due to the earthquake and the hospital doctors briefed him of the situation of the injured.
The President reached Jajarkot today from Surkhet to take stock of the post-quake situations there.
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale at 11:47 pm on Friday, with its epicenter in Jajarkot, resulted in significant casualties and property damage in the districts of the Karnali Province. So far 157 have been confirmed dead in the quake in Jajarkot and Rukum west districts.
According to Pokherel, the President will visit the district headquarters Khalanga, Ramidanda, the epicenter of the earthquake, Nalgadh and Aathbiskoth of Rukum West to take stock of the progress in the rescue and relief efforts.
He is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Purna Bahadur Khadka, Chief of the Army Staff and Karnali Province lawmakers.
It may be noted that the President cancelled his Europe trip scheduled to take place from tomorrow, November 8, citing that it was inappropriate to leave the country in the wake of the devastating earthquake.
President Ramchandra Paudel today visited Sitali Kami of Bheri Municipality-1 in Jajarkot who is receiving treatment for the earthquake injuries at the District Hospital. The President inquired of health updates of the injured and responded to their concerns.
He assured Sitali that there would be necessary assistance from the State to rebuild her damaged house. As he said, before the reconstructions of the earthquake damaged structures, the survivors need temporary shelter.
Likewise, during his visit to Thaple of Bheri-3, the President recalled his previous visit here, adding that the reconstruction efforts would be expedited.
The Head-of-the-State observed the collapsed house at Thaple where Nalagadh Municipality deputy-mayor Sarita Singh lost her life to the disaster.
The President assured the survivors that their concerns would be addressed gradually as the government was actively engaged in the response to the post-disaster consequences.
The earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale at 11:47 pm on Friday, with its epicenter in Jajarkot, resulted in significant casualties and property damage in Jajarkot and Rukum West districts of the Karnali Province.
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Speaker Ghimire insists on completion of new Federal Parliament building project before winter session
Kathmandu, Nov 7: Speaker Devraj Ghimire has directed the bodies concerned for readying the under-construction Federal Parliament Building in Singha Durbar for its operation before the commencement of winter session.
During his meeting with a company contracted for fixing a sound system in the new structure today, the Speaker insisted on the completion of construction works and the fixation of the sound system by the next two months.
He also advised the Secretariat officials and staff to pay heed to the use of advanced technology as per the need with mitigation of associated risks.
Urban Development Minister Sita Gurung stated that the project to construct a new building for the Federal Parliament was the top priority of the government. She underlined the need of bearing in mind the quality concerns while undertaking the building construction and the fixation of a sound system. “Quality should be our concern.”
The building would come into operation before this if things go as per the pan of the agreement reached between the Urban Development Ministry and the construction company Tunditech Joint Venture Company on October 3, 2019.
It has the contract of reading more than small and large blocks in an area of 151 ropani of land. So far, it just completes the major structures including the roofing.
As the Company said, five blocks will be readied by the upcoming winter session of the parliament. A Germany-based company contracted to prepare the sound system for the building has assured that it would ensure a quality service.
Project director Machakaji Maharjan said the construction works were underway with the target of completing the Project by the next six months.
Under the Project, buildings for the House of Representatives, National Assembly, VVIP chamber and other offices will be build and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 6.92 billion while the contract was signed for Rs 5.2 billion.
The government in the current fiscal year has allocated to Rs 3.26 billion for the Project. It will feature a 350-seated lobby and a parking lot with the capacity of accommodating 390 vehicles simultaneously.
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Families of those killed in earthquake get relief assistance
Triveni (Rukum West), Nov 7: The next of kin of all those killed in the earthquake at Aathbiskot municipality, Rukum West have been provided with relief assistance, including monetary support for performing their mourning rituals.
The relief along with the monetary support was provided to the 28 families of the earthquake deceased in the municipality on Sunday and Monday.
An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale with epicentre at Ramidanda struck Jajarkot on November 3. Twenty-eight families of the Municipality’s ward no. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 had lost their family members to the earthquake.
The family of each earthquake dead has been provided Rs 25,000 per head, said Aathbiskot Municipality deputy mayor Dhana Kumari Shahi.
According to her, the families rendered homeless due to the disaster were also provided with foodstuff and other relief materials. The relief distribution to the affected families continues, she added.
Forty-four people, including 42 in Aathbiskot and two in Jajarkot, were killed in the disaster. Of the casualties, four were from outside districts.
Similarly, the Sanibheri rural municipality has provided relief assistance, including monetary support for performing their mourning rituals, to the families of those killed in the earthquake in the rural municipality.
Rural municipality spokesperson Pahal Singh Gharti said relief materials along with Rs 25,000 have been provided to the families of the 12 people killed in the rural municipality.
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