-- The death toll
in Nepal has crossed the 4000 mark. It is expected to be in many thousands. The
severity of a strong earthquake is revealing itself with each passing hour. The
reconnaissance efforts are now reaching to the remote areas assessing the
damage.
-- Roads are
broken. Cracks are wide and open. Rubble and debris have taken over the roads
of cities. Access to places (villages and town) are coming in bits. Maximum
reports available are from Kathmandu and the valley surrounding it. Agencies
involved in rescue and relief efforts are now trying to reach other locations
with help of choppers and aids.
-- People are
staying out and need blankets. Fear is universal psychosis there and that is
natural after such a massive earthquake, the one after 1934. Aid teams are
working to provide them relief while rescuing the trapped ones. Taking out
people trapped and bodies from rubble are tough tasks and will take time. Already,
there are more than 6500 injured. UNICEF says around 1 million children are in
urgent need of help and thus we can imagine the count of homeless and displaced
adults by this calamity.
-- Rescue and
relief agencies are working with power generators, engineers, medicinal
supplies, doctors, earthquake relief personnel, buses, aircrafts and
helicopters, radars, equipments, food material, water, daily-usage supplies, satellite
equipments, etc., to help people in distress.
-- Countries are
evacuating their people stranded in Nepal. The figure for India, with
historical and religious ties with Nepal, has already crossed over 2000 mark.
Many countries have asked India for help. India is airlifting the stranded
people there as well as is working to clear the roads to transport people
through road-routes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The government of Uttar Pradesh
has set up four camps at India-Nepal border for the victims.
-- In India, the
death toll has already reached 72 with Bihar registering maximum number - 56.
Uttar Pradesh has registered 13, West Bengal 3 and Rajasthan 1. China has said
that its Tibet region has 20 people dead in earthquake incidents so far.
-- Kathmandu
airport (or Tribhuvan International Airport) remains a scene of chaos. Many
people are waiting there to be evacuated but operations are not regular. Needy
people are being given preference. At the moment, though the airport is now
open, there is so much aid material is at the airport that it is hampering with the flight operations.
-- Earthquakes
and tremors have continued in Nepal. Two major earthquakes were on day-1, Saturday.
The first one at 11:56 AM local time with a magnitude 7.8 was the severest one
in country's history after the 1934 earthquake of Nepal-Bihar. The landlocked nation
faced another earthquake, measuring 6.6, at 12:30 PM on Saturday. Quakes
followed many aftershocks that are expected to continue for days, and if we
believe the comments of the scientific experts, may continue even for months
and years. There are quakes and aftershocks yesterday and today. In India,
Bihar and West Bengal faced another earthquake this evening. Its epicentre was
in Mirik and it was measured at 5.1.
-- India, being
the country with direct road connectivity to Nepal and bigger role on global
stage has strategic interests in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
reignited the ties and India is at forefront of the rescue and relief
operations. It is also engaged in reconnaissance mission to assess the damage. Indian
Army is conducting Operation Maitri to help in the landlocked nation in this
hour of help. Over two dozen aircrafts have been put in service and many are on
standby. Relief material and personnel are already there and more are being
sent. Still more are on standby. India is also helping other countries, along
with its own people, evacuating them as the situation is permitting. So far,
over 2000 Indians have been evacuated from Nepal. Foreign nationals who are
placing their requests are being issued free visas to their country via India.
-- Indian Prime
Minister and senior ministers are monitoring the R&R efforts. They are
holding meetings every day. A team of senior officials from different
ministries landed in Nepal today to coordinate with rescue and relief efforts.
-- Nepal is
strategically important, not just for India, but for Pakistan and China as
well. Yes, it is driven by the crisis of the hour, and these two countries,
along with other countries from the world community, aid agencies, NGOs and the
United Nations are engaged in rescue and relief efforts in Nepal.
-- Countries have
started issuing travel advisories. Nepal, many parts of India and the affected
regions of Himalaya are expected the face the results. USA, UK and Australia
have advised their citizens to avoid Nepal in the near future. Darjeeling,
Sikkim and Northeast India are expected to be affected from the resulting
events.
-- Kathmandu is
destroyed beyond recognition. Very few buildings there can withstand an
earthquake of this measure. Many localities are entirely wiped out. Many
heritage structures are totally lost. Most of the buildings have suffered
cracks and other damages.
-- Overall,
according to the United Nations, 6.6 million Nepalis are affected. Reports say Gorkhadistrict
is hardest hit.
-- In other parts
of Nepal, with passing hours, the rescue teams are reaching and the extent of
damage thus is widening its ambit every hour. Entire villages, be of 200, of
500, of 100, or 1500, or so, have been destroyed in the quake. Here, the number
may be variable but death is a constant word. A report said the entire villagenear
Lamjung, the epicentre of 7.8 quake, is
totally destroyed leaving a trail of dead bodies. When the Nepali government is
not able to help people in Kathmandu, we can imagine the plight of people in
remote areas and towns.
-- Avalanches,
consequent to earthquakes, have killed 17 so far in the Mount Everest area, the
world's peak. According to the same report, the plans of over 300 to ascent the
peak have been put on hold. South side of base camps are badly hit in avalanches.
The way to the peak from China, the less popular one, has also been blocked for
the time-being.
Related post:
http://severallyalone.blogspot.in/2015/04/nepal-earthquake-so-far-on-april-26.html
©/IPR: Santosh Chaubey - http://severallyalone.blogspot.com/
