HoR's State Affairs Committee team visits quake-hit Jajarkot

Published On: November 8, 2023 06:00 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Nov 8: A delegation from the State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives today left for a visit to the earthquake-stricken Jajarkot district in Karnali Province.

The team also including Committee chairman Ramhari Khatiwada left Surkhet this morning for Jajarkot. In Surkhet, the team took updates on the rescue and relief efforts in the affected areas till 8:00 AM today from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Purna Bahadur Khadka, according to Committee Chair Khatiwada.

Likewise, before leaving for Jajarkot, it met with Karnali Government Chief, people's representatives, security and administrative chiefs.

"We will assess the situation of rescue and relief distribution in Jajarkot," Khatiwada said.

During the briefing in Surkhet, the team was apprised that the preliminary estimation of the loss is around Rs 2.45 billion. Likewise, the disaster caused partial damage to over 11,000 houses, and complete damage to more than 16,000.

Most of those houses partially damaged in the disaster are made of clay and stone, and the Committee urged the government to assess them as 'entirely damaged' and ensure compensation for rebuilding a disaster-resistant house, according to Khatiwada.

During the briefing, the Committee team was told that to date, around 80 percent survivors received the relief assistance and now, the relief distribution was underway to cover the remaining affected people. Likewise, the team was apprised that the aid materials dispatched by China were on the way to Jajarkot via Pokhara.

He was assured that the survivors in all the affected areas would get the relief assistance by today itself. Three Nepali Army helicopters were on standby in Surkhet to transport the materials to the affected areas.

Khatiwada urged one and all not to unnecessarily create a crowd in the affected areas in the name of observing the quake-hit areas and cause any obstructions to security personnel and rescuers who are on the ground for humanitarian assistance.

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale hit the districts in Karnali Province at 11:47PM on Friday, with its epicenter in Jajarkot, resulted in over 150 casualties, over 300 injuries and significant property damage including in neighboring Rukum West.

(RSS)