On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Kathmandu, Nepal, resulting in widespread damage and humanitarian need. The impact was felt nationwide and as far as India, Pakistan, Tibet and Bangladesh.
Thousands of lives were lost, and even more were injured. The humanitarian situation in rural towns and villages close to the epicenter was of major concern. Electricity and telephone connectivity is intermittent and mobile services are experiencing heavy congestion still. Accessibility to remote, affected areas and information on the rural areas surrounding Kathmandu are a major challenge, hampering search and rescue and relief efforts. It is feared that the death toll and levels of destruction will be high.
Strong aftershocks are continuing and many people are sleeping in the open, fearful of returning to their homes. Hospitals in Kathmandu are functioning but are already overcrowded and with the on going aftershocks, people are being treated in the streets.
Volunteers and staff of the Nepal Red Cross were immediately mobilized and are assisting in search and rescue efforts, distributing non-food relief items and administering first aid to the injured. The Nepal Red Cross has extensive experience in responding to natural disasters and plays a lead role in the government’s contingency plans for such disasters.
1,500 volunteers and 300 staff mobilized to support government search and rescue efforts
1,200 tarps distributed to displaced families
Approximately 19,000 non-food relief kits available to the Nepal Red Cross which include clothing, kitchen sets, tarps, mosquito nets, and personal hygiene items
Canadians Sharing and The Canadian Red Cross, with support from the Government of Canada, is deploying a mobile field hospital to provide critical life-saving health services to hard-hit communities. The Canadian Red Cross field hospital will support the Nepal Red Cross and local health authorities in meeting the needs in affected communities.
Yourhelpisurgently needed!
To help support our partners at the Red Cross in their response to this disaster, you can make a financial donation to Canadians Sharing Locally and Globally!
Your donation makes a difference to us:
$74 provides blankets for warmth and security for two families of 5
$140 provides a kit of cooking and cleaning materials for a family of 5
services are experiencing heavy congestion still. Accessibility to remote, affected areas and information on the rural areas surrounding Kathmandu are a major challenge, hampering search and rescue and relief efforts. It is feared that the death toll and levels of destruction will be high.
distributing non-food relief items and administering first aid to the injured. The Nepal Red Cross has extensive experience in responding to natural disasters and plays a lead role in the government’s contingency plans for such disasters.
rescue efforts
