Kathmandu, Nepal (March 28, 2011) – Two different camps in
In a picture is a camp in Goldhap of Jhapa, an Eastern Nepali
district, which caught into fire on 22 March
Jhapa and Morang, eastern Nepali districts which have been hosting Bhutanese refugees for almost two decades were caught into fire on 22 March 2011. The fire outbreak left about 6,000 Bhutanese refugees, including women and children homeless. The Lutheran World Federation Nepal in support of United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) and World Food Program (WFP) has been providing care and maintenance support to Bhutanese refugees since 1991.
Nepali district, which caught into fire on 22 March Seen in the picture is a Bhutanese refugee camp in Snischare of Jhapa, an eastern district in Nepal, which caught into fire on 22 March 2011.
Nepali district, which caught into fire on 22 March Seen in the picture is a Bhutanese refugee camp in Snischare of Jhapa, an eastern district in Nepal, which caught into fire on 22 March 2011.
The fire outbreak in Goldhap of Jhapa gutted down 516 huts, which displaced 3,500 Bhutanese refugees. Similarly, fire outbreak in Sanishchare camp of Morang, another district burned down 200 huts left around 2,500 Bhutanese refugees displaced. It took nearly six hours for fire-fighters, refugee-agency staffs and locals to control the fire in Goldhap, while in Sanishchare it took four hours.
Though refugees could not save their property, there was no loss of human life. However, 29 people were injured in stamped in Goldhap that resulted due to the fire. But no injury was reported in Sanishchare camp. In a two weeks time the Gholdhap camp was to be merged with another camp in Beldangi. Due to the Bhutanese refugees leaving for third country settlement, initiated by the UNHCR, the camp was set to be merged.
Nearby school was used as temporary shelter for refugees displaced due to fire.
The fire damaged local offices of the UNHCR and the WFP. Similarly, in Sanischare camp, apart from refugees´ huts, offices of Camp Management Committee (CMC), Refugee Coordination Unit (RCU) and Reconciliation Center were damaged badly. The office of LWF Nepal was also damaged.
ACT Alliance Geneva has already been informed about the situation.
