OCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Published purpose

May 2015 – On 25 April, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit Nepal near the capital city of Kathmandu. The government has reported that 30 out of 75 districts are affected in the Western and Central Regions, including districts in Kathmandu Valley. The epicentre is located 81 km northwest of Kathmandu. A number of large aftershocks have occurred since the first earthquake. To date, over 5,000 deaths have been confirmed and over 11,000 people have been injured. These figures are expected to increase as more information becomes available. With DFATD's support and that of other donors, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is providing essential coordination support for the humanitarian response in Nepal. Project activities include: (1) providing assessments, analysis, information management and coordination assistance to support the Government of Nepal’s response to the disaster; (2) providing coordination support to local, national and international humanitarian organizations; (3) providing information to affected populations on the response efforts to improve their ability to access help; and (4) collecting feedback from affected communities to ensure their experience informs the wider humanitarian response.