Fuel for Nepal Flood Relief

Fuel Relief Fund (FRF) — Nepal Deployment Update

Fuel Relief Fund (FRF) has now been operating in Nepal for several days, and our deployment continues to expand as we identify critical needs in communities affected by the disaster. Thanks to the incredible network of local partners and friends we developed during our 2015 deployment following the Gorkha Earthquake, our team has been able to move quickly and get assistance directly where it is needed most.

Since arriving, FRF has been providing life-saving petrol and diesel completely free of charge throughout Bidur, Trishuli, and the greater Bagmati region. Fuel remains one of the most critical needs following a disaster. Without it, hospitals cannot operate generators, ambulances cannot respond, aid organizations cannot reach isolated communities, and families cannot travel to safety or search for loved ones.

One of our highest priorities has continued to be Trishuli Hospital. The hospital is dependent on diesel generators and is consuming approximately 9 liters of fuel every hour. Because there is currently no reliable fuel supply on that side of the Trishuli River, getting fuel to the hospital has required creative solutions. We returned to the hospital and once again used the remarkable zip line in Bidur to transport diesel across the river. This lifeline has allowed us to continue supplying the hospital despite the damaged and difficult transportation network. We plan to keep refueling the hospital throughout our deployment for as long as funding allows.

FRF has also continued supporting World Central Kitchen, which is providing meals to people affected by the disaster. With propane extremely difficult to obtain in Nepal right now, their ability to continue cooking for large numbers of people was at serious risk. Our team was able to secure 50 propane tanks and provide them to the World Central Kitchen operation. This was another example of how fuel and energy resources can become an unexpected but absolutely essential part of disaster relief. A kitchen cannot feed thousands of people if it cannot keep its equipment operating.

Our partnership with Karmayog Foundation has also allowed us to continue expanding our reach into areas that are extremely difficult to access. We established an additional fuel point in a small village in the Bagmati region at a critical intersection used by vehicles traveling from Kathmandu and Bidur toward Dhunche and the surrounding areas. This location allows us to reach vehicles heading deeper into affected communities before they begin the long and difficult journey into the mountains.

The roads into these areas remain some of the most challenging we have ever encountered. Routes that once took a fraction of the time can now require many hours because of damage, landslides, difficult mountain roads, and disrupted infrastructure. There are very few places to obtain fuel along these routes. FRF is helping ensure that aid vehicles, local responders, families, and other essential travelers have enough fuel to make these journeys and return safely.

We continue to work closely with local organizations and community members because they know where the need is. FRF has always believed that the most effective disaster response combines fuel resources with local knowledge. Our local partners are already embedded in these communities, allowing us to identify people and organizations that need assistance and get fuel directly to them without unnecessary delays.

Every day, we are seeing how quickly a lack of fuel can become a life-threatening problem. Hospitals need generators. Aid organizations need vehicles. Community kitchens need propane. Rescue teams need transportation. Heavy equipment needs diesel. Ambulances, police vehicles, and fire apparatus all depend on fuel.

Fuel is what makes disaster relief move.

FRF is an all-volunteer organization, and we provide our fuel completely free of charge to those working to save lives and support affected communities. We intend to continue this deployment for as long as funding allows.

The need in Nepal remains enormous, and every dollar donated helps us purchase more fuel and keep essential services, aid organizations, and local responders moving.

We are here because our local friends and partners asked for help. We will continue to be here for as long as we can.

Links:

• Annapurna Post, interviewed FRF volunteers, a local Nepali News.