KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) has launched the Nepal Disaster Humanitarian Fund to mobilise emergency aid for communities affected by deadly floods in several parts of the country.
MRA president Khairil Annuar Khalid said the fund was established to support humanitarian relief operations for affected communities, with priority given to basic necessities during the initial emergency phase.
He said planned assistance includes food, clean water supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene needs, hygiene and baby kits, medical aid, as well as the construction of temporary prayer halls (musolla) for affected Muslim communities.
“The need for food, clean water, shelter, healthcare services and basic family necessities is becoming increasingly urgent. Therefore, MRA has taken the initiative to launch the Nepal Disaster Humanitarian Fund,” he said in a statement today.
Khairil said that based on developments as of Aug 31, at least 939 bodies had been recovered while about 3,925 people were reported missing, with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimating that around 93,000 people may have been affected by the disaster.
He said the figures could still change as search and rescue operations were ongoing, while some areas remained difficult to access.
According to him, the flash floods also destroyed and damaged homes, roads, bridges, schools, healthcare facilities, agricultural areas and hydroelectric infrastructure, making it difficult to deliver humanitarian aid to the worst-affected areas.
MRA urged Malaysians, the corporate sector, institutions, mosques and surau, civil society organisations and people from all walks of life to contribute to the Nepal Disaster Humanitarian Fund.
Donations can be channelled through the official Malaysian Relief Agency Berhad accounts at Maybank (5640 9820 8020) or Alliance Bank (6410 8001 002 4389).
On Aug 26, large-scale flash floods hit Rasuwa District in northern Nepal, also affecting Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and downstream areas.
Preliminary assessments by authorities and humanitarian agencies indicated that the incident was believed to be linked to ice or glacier instability in high mountainous areas, which caused river flows to become blocked before a sudden release of water occurred.
-- BERNAMA