Nepal Pleaded For Help, Malaysia And The Rest Of The World Answered
The need for aid in Nepal is great and countries around the world are responding as fast as they can.
By Mei Mei Chu — 28 Apr 2015, 05:28 PM — Updated over 9 years ago
In the span of four days, the number of fatalities from the devastating Nepal earthquake has escalated to over 4,000. The UN says eight million people are affected.
Eight million people have been affected by the massive earthquake in Nepal - more than a quarter of the country's population - the United Nations says. International aid has started arriving but there is still huge need - 1.4 million require food aid, the UN said.
bbc.comNepal, one of the world's poorest nations, struggled to cope when it was struck by the 7.8 magnitude quake. Its logistical difficulties in the mountainous topography made things worse. For starters, the Nepal Army only has one big helicopter.
Nepalese rescue personnel help a trapped earthquake survivor, center right, as his friend lies dead next to him in Swayambhu, in Kathmandu on April 26, 2015.
Image via wordpress.comAny government in the world would have been overwhelmed by the scale of this disaster, but the logistical difficulties in Nepal, a poor, near-roadless, mountainous land, are extraordinary. The country’s only international airport is still operational, and China and India quickly started flying in relief help. But the Nepali Army itself has only one big helicopter.
nytimes.com
The government pleaded for help. "We are really desperate," the Chief Secretary said.
The Nepal government has pleaded for overseas aid - everything from blankets and helicopters to doctors and drivers. "We urge foreign countries to give us special relief materials and medical teams. We are really desperate for more foreign expertise to pull through this crisis," said Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudel.
bbc.com
The world answered immediately. Within hours of the catastrophe, the international community responded by dispatching help and aid packages to Nepal.
A woman injured in Saturday’s earthquake is laid on a stretcher after being evacuated in an Indian Air Force helicopter at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday.
Image via AP PhotoAt 6.30am on Monday morning, Malaysia deployed 30 members from the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) along with necessary equipment to Nepal
28 Apr 15 : Pesawat C130H TUDM selamat tiba di Khathmandu, Nepal http://t.co/iLUkRQ43F4 pic.twitter.com/pbOq7U5OFC
— TUDM (@airforcenextgen) April 28, 2015
"Our three main missions are to help in search and rescue efforts, treat victims by setting up field hospitals and bringing back Malaysians from Nepal," National Security Council (NSC) secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab said.
themalaysianinsider.com
20 medical doctors from MERCY Malaysia, Malaysian Army Medical Corps, and the Red Cresent Society joined them as part of the emergency medical team
MERCY Malaysia's eight-person emergency member team will set up a field hospital with mini-surgery, outpatient department, and a pharmaceutical service
The volunteer relief organisation expects its Emergency Response Unit (ERU), which left for Nepal on Monday, to be in the country for at least a month. The eight-member ERU team consists of medical personnel, logisticians, doctors and surgeons, complete with a field hospital to serve the affected communities.
thestar.com.my
Nepalese villagers charge their cell phones in an open area in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday.
Image via APThe group will go onboard a Royal Malaysian Air Force Hercules C-130 aircraft that will be on standby to evacuate Malaysians in the region
Several organisations have started relief funds to collect donations for urgent financial assistance
A Nepalese man attends to an elderly as victims of Saturday’s earthquake, wait for ambulances after being evacuated at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday.
Image via AP PhotoThe Nepal Red Cross Society are seeking for about RM116 million to support 75,000 people of 15,000 households. The Malaysian Red Cresent Society have launched a disaster fund where people can donate.
Besides that, MERCY Malaysia, MCA's Crisis Relief Squad, World Vision Malaysia, Unicef Malaysia have also set up similar Nepal earthquake relief funds.
Besides Malaysia, India was one of the fastest nations to respond. Within four hours of the earthquake, New Delhi sent over 1,000 members of the National Disaster Response Force, three army field hospitals and civilian doctors to the scene.
#NepalEarthquake Here are some of the pic. of the rescue and evacuation tasks being conducted by India in Nepal. pic.twitter.com/Aju7xzYE1y
— Sitanshu Kar (@SpokespersonMoD) April 26, 2015
Scaling up relief and rescue efforts in quake-hit Nepal that was named ‘Operation Maitri’, India on Sunday deployed two dozen military aircraft and choppers and was also undertaking a “big evacuation” through the road route.
As a top Indian official described the situation in the Himalayan nation as “very, very serious”, nearly 1,000 trained personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were also pressed into service. Over 1,000 people have been flown from Nepal since on Saturday.
indianexpress.com
Wealthier governments including US, European Union, Canada, Australia, and more are donating millions of dollars in aid packages
UNITED STATES: Washington has committed a total of $1 million for response and recovery efforts, according to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The US Agency for International Development has a Disaster Assistance Response Team sent a team of 60 members, the Los Angeles County Fire Department sent a team of 57-members, as well as the US Air Force had sent nearly 70 personnel in support of disaster relief operations.
UNITED KINGDOM: Its Department for International Development announced a £5 million aid package on Sunday. Seven rescue sorties will also be deployed.
CANADA: Donating 5 million Canadian dollars to aid organizations to help with life-saving efforts.
NORWAY: Donated 30 million Norwegian kroner for relief efforts.
AUSTRALIA: Donated a total of 5 million Australian dollars. An Australian Crisis Response Team will travel to Nepal as soon as possible to help establish the welfare of the missing Australians.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Announced €3 million in immediate aid money for Nepal on Sunday. Countries such as Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Poland and Sweden have offered their search and rescue teams to Nepal. The teams will also work on water purification systems and technical assistance.
A member of the Nepalese security forces sets up a tent in Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on April 26, 2015.
Image via channelnewsasia.comCountries are offering aid not only in money and humanitarian assistance, but also in kind. Below is a list of who's sending what:
CHINA: Its Ministry of Commerce has reportedly given 20 million yuan in humanitarian aid. The aid, including supplies of tents, blankets and generators, will be delivered to Nepal by chartered planes. On Sunday, a 62-member China International Search and Rescue Team (CISAR) arrived in Nepal's capital Katmandu and started relief work.
SINGAPORE: Donated 100,000 Singapore dollars to the Singapore Red Cross for aid. Has already begun disbursing 50,000 Singapore dollars worth of emergency supplies.
RUSSIA: The Ministry for Emergency Situations announced that they are prepared to send more than fifty rescue workers to assist the Nepali government in rescue operations.
SRI LANKA: The Lankan government announced that a C-130 Hercules aircraft of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) carrying a team of military doctors, nurses and medical assistants arrived at the Kathmandu airport to assist the relief efforts. "Four sniffer dogs and a large stock of rescue equipment, urgent sanitary-ware, tools, tents, generators, medicine and dry rations also saw their passage on the first flight," the Sri Lankan army said.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan has sent four C-130 aircraft carrying a 30-bed hospital, special search and rescue teams and relief items, Radio Pakistan reported. Food items include 2,000 meals, ready-to-eat packs, eatables and bottled water. The team is also carrying medicines, 200 tents, 600 blankets and other necessary items.
JAPAN: Japan will provide relief supplies including tents and blankets worth ¥25 million ($210,000) via the Japan International Cooperation Agency at the request of the Nepalese government, the Foreign Ministry announced. The government also announced that around 70 members from the National Police Agency, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Japan Coast Guard will coordinate relief efforts with the Nepalese government.
BHUTAN: A 53-member team from Bhutan flew into Kathmandu early on 27 April. The team will consist of surgeons, medical specialists, nurses and technicians from the Bhutan’s ministry of health and the Royal Bhutan Army.
UAE: The United Arab Emirates has dispatched staff from its search and rescue agency. The 88-member team will be accompanied by UN personnel. Simultaneously, another Emirati team will fly to India to purchase food and medical supplies and then airlift them to Nepal.
ISRAEL: Israel sent a 260-member team to Nepal on two hired Boeing 747 jumbo jets. Part of the team will immediately engage in search-and-rescue operations, and medics and other support staff are expected to set up a full field hospital within 12 hours of landing.
