A new humanitarian staging area has been inaugurated in Nepal that will be able to store essential supplies for over 60,000 people, the United Nations World Food Programme said in a statement on Wednesday.
Constructed by WFP, in collaboration with the Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority, the HSA is part of Nepal's emergency response operations.
Once completed, it will be able to store 1,535 metric tonnes of supplies including shelter materials, health and hygiene kits, and water and sanitation equipment, said the statement.
The new HSA will also be equipped with logistical items, such as generators, satellite phones, fuel, boats, and search and rescue tools, the statement said, noting that there are plans to build other similar HSAs.
The Dhangadhi HSA is the first of its kind at a provincial level, according to the statement.
The creation of a HSA network across Nepal follows the success of the UK-funded Kathmandu Humanitarian Staging Area, which was launched one month before the devastating 2015 earthquake. The activation of the Kathmandu facility helped humanitarian partners reach the affected population quickly, WFP said.
Without it, some 21 days could have been needed before the relief efforts reached those in desperate need.
