Pakistan so far dispatched 12 sorties of C-130 with relief goods to Nepal
ISLAMABAD, (Asghar Ali Mubarak):
Pakistan has so far dispatched 12
sorties of C-130 aircraft to the quake-hit Nepal with a sizeable
quantity of relief goods and medical assistance.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in a report to Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday said the air effort shall continue till completion of the assigned task by the government.
The report mentioned the relief measures including a 30-bed
field hospital with 50-member team comprising doctors including
child specialists, orthopaedic surgeons, gynaecologists,
anaesthetists, radiologists, paramedics and technicians.
The medical team worked round the clock and treated over 2700
patients and conducted 32 operations. The work was also appreciated by the Nepalese Army Chief during his visit to the hospital, the report said.
A 38-member Urban Search and Rescue Team with latest
equipment, ground penetrating radars, concrete cutters and other
rescue equipment were immediately sent and worked at five sites and
rescued trapped people.
Out of 3,000 tents, 1849 have been transported along with 15
shelters, 1000 blankets, 3 tons of food, 0.5 tons of lentils, 12.5
tons of medicines, 3024 liters of water, besides rice and tarpaulin
shelters.
The NDMA plans to transport the remaining 1151 tents, 29,250
tarpaulin shelters and 18 tons of rice with the assistance of Pakistan Air force in the coming days.
Nepal was devastated by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake April 25
that was followed by a series of after-shocks including a major one
of 7.3 magnitude on May 12. Around 8,462 deaths have been reported
while 20,000 reported injured, 489,000 homes destroyed and another 260,000 damaged.
On the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, a very proactive stance was adopted by Pakistan from day one.
Pakistan responded within 19 hours of the incident by sending
two aircraft of Pakistan Air Force carrying a field hospital and an
Urban Search and Rescue Team with latest rescue equipment.
Pakistan was amongst the first few countries to have sent a
30-bed field hospital to the earthquake affected areas.
The Chairman NDMA, on the direction of the Prime Minister also
accompanied one of the relief flights to Nepal and met the Nepalese
Army Chief and Foreign Minister to express solidarity with the people of Nepal. He assured them of Pakistan’s continued support in
these difficult times.
The Nepalese Government officials were very appreciative of
Pakistan’s efforts and expressed their gratitude, the report adds.
The Pakistan Air Force also ferried to Nepal seven Nepalese
doctors studying at King Edward University free of charge as a
goodwill gesture.
The NDMA also acknowledged the excellent joint collaboration
between the National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force.More than 8,500 people have died as a result of the back-to-back earthquakes
Nepal’s Home Ministry confirmed at least 8,583 deaths from the past month’s two major earthquakes and subsequent tremors, making the combined disaster the deadliest in the country’s history, reports Reuters.
The last massive temblor to rock the landlocked Himalayan nation killed 8,519 people in 1934.
On April 25, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake erupted approximately 85 miles east of the capital, Kathmandu, killing more than 8,000 people and destroying a half-million homes nationwide. Three weeks later the country was struck again by a 7.3-magnitude tremor near Mount Everest that killed more than 100 people and triggered fresh landslides.
U.N. officials report that millions of people remain in need of basic humanitarian assistance as the looming monsoon threatens to inundate the country’s fragile transportation network and hamper ongoing aid efforts.
