ChildFund is responding to Nepal`s devastating earthquake in Sindhupalchok, one of the nation`s worst-hit districts.

Starting on Friday, ChildFund was the first organisation to distribute urgently needed food supplies to more than 2,600 families (benefitting 10,240 people) in four remote villages in Sindhupalchok. Each family received 12kg rice, 1.5kg dhal (lentils) and 500g of salt.

With earlier efforts to deliver aid to Sindhupalchok hindered by a lack of supplies, blocked roads and security concerns, emotions ran high for the children and families living in these devastated villages, and for ChildFund staff at the food distributions who know these communities well.

Pictured below is Aileen Santiago, from ChildFund`s emergency team, embracing a woman from one of the villages, whom she hadn`t seen since before the earthquake hit.

Photographer Jake Lyell was with the emergency team as they distributed relief supplies. He describes the devastation:

“On my third day in the field I can say that the area around where ChildFund works is the worst I’ve seen. It’s more remote and the damage was very severe. When you drove through the areas you could smell the stench of bodies coming from the dilapidated houses. It made our hearts sink.”

ChildFund will continue with relief efforts to support the people of Sindhupalchok, most of whom are living out in the open without adequate food and shelter. A second emergency relief distribution is planned for these remote villages, which will include tents and ground sheets for the hundreds of families who have been left homeless, and more food and water.

Five days have passed since Nepal’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of the country. More than 5,000 people have been killed and at least 10,000 injured, with figures expected to increase as search and rescue teams continue to reach remote areas.

Eight million people have been affected by this disaster, including two million people living in 11 severely affected districts. Immediate needs include food, shelter, water and sanitation, medical assistance, surgical kits and body bags.

More than 90 aftershocks have been felt since Saturday. People have been advised to stay in open spaces so families are sleeping in makeshift tents in damp, cold conditions.

With Nepal now in its pre-monsoon period and rainfall predicted for the coming 10 days, there are fears of more landslides, local flooding and the spread of waterborne diseases. There are also serious health and safety concerns for those left homeless.