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28 APRIL 2015 – SITUATION IS STILL CONFUSED
The situation in Kathmandu is still very confused. The international airport, for example, can only receive 9 aicraft at any one time. It was closed for a large part of the day on 26 and 27 April, as the earth was continuing to Quake with after shocks of 6.7 on the Richter scale. The priority toiday is to find survivors Under the rubble and to treat internal lésions.
The Nepalese government has announced today that 34 districts have been affected by the earthquake. It seems that in some districts more than 90% of the houses have been destroyed. Near Manaslu, an avalanche caused by the earthquake has blocked the Machi Khola river and a lake is forming.
In Kathmandu, some hospital staff do not dare to go to work for fear of aftershocks. Similarly, suppliers of medicines, drinking water and food remain closed. Motor bikes and rickshaws are being used as ambulances because they can more easily navigate around the piles of rubble.
The UN has announced that 8 000 000 inhabitants (+/- 30% of the population) is directly affected by this earthquake. For its part UNICEF has announced that +/- 940,000 children are on their own or struggling with other problems.
Nepal Mountain Mobile Hospital has decided to go to the most remote districts as soon as conditions permit with, as in normal times, the permission of the authorities, particularly the Ministry of Healh.
On 28 April, telephone contact was established with my Nepali colleague in Kathmandu. He is in contact with the Nepalese government authorities to establish our plan of action for the remotest regions. Our team (all alive and well) is assembling and preparing the material (stérilisation, medicine, packing) as they do before each of our camps.
Personally, I am trying to get to Kathmandu as quickly as possible.