Dire humanitarian crisis engulfs epicentre survivors in Nepal

Thursday, April 30, 2015

A dire humanitarian emergency is threatening to engulf the worst affected communities at the epicentre of Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal, World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello warned today.

The head of Australia’s largest humanitarian aid agency, Mr Costello managed to make it overland to Gorkha, which lies 16 km from the epicentre of Saturday’s quake, overnight.

“The scenes that have greeted us here are absolutely devastating, people are desperate for help,” he said.

Five days after the quake, bad weather, aftershocks, collapsed roads and a lack of coordination are continuing to block relief reaching hundreds of thousands of survivors now in dire need of medical and other basic supplies according to Mr Costello.

“The refrain we keep hearing from the survivors is 'where is the help, where is the help?” Mr Costello said.

Many of the injured have since perished or are now experiencing secondary medical complications.

“There are reports of local doctors being forced to perform amputations without anaesthetic in order to save lives.”

The official death toll is now more than 5000 and is expected to rise as the full impact on communities at the epicentre becomes apparent.

Most homes in the district have been flattened by the 7.8 point quake, with UNICEF now estimating that 2.8 million people have been displaced throughout the quake-affected area.

“These once picturesque mountain villages are filled with desperate people, their homes reduced to rubble where the walls and roofs have collapsed,” Mr Costello said.

Some survivors who had trekked into Gorkha from villages closer to the epicentre are now turning back due to the lack of supplies and assistance he said.

World Vision was able to distribute 500 tarpaulins in Gorkha on Monday and some more again yesterday, Mr Costello said, but like all other aid agencies World Vision is waiting for much needed supplies to reach outlying areas. 

“Our hearts sank today to see the weather close in and the rain begin to fall. This means the 15 tons of medical supplies including urgently needed mother and child units, circling above Gorkha are unable to land,“ he said.

To donate to World Vision Australia’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal call 13 32 40 or visit www.worldvision.com.au/nepal-earthquake

For interviews with World Vision CEO Tim Costello in Gorkha please call Stuart Rintoul: +61 407 241492 or Kayla Robertson in Australia: +61 (0) 418 762 926 or kayla.robertson@worldvision.com.au

Media Releases, Nepal earthquake, Middle East, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Disaster relief, Emergency, Foreign Aid, Humanitarian, Nepal earthquake, Tim Costello

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