ADRA Continues Relief Efforts as Second Earthquake Strikes Nepal
WASHINGTON, DC.— A second earthquake has struck Nepal in almost as many weeks, hampering already strained relief efforts and inflicting a new wave of damage across the country.
The 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck 42 miles (68km) west of the town of Namche Bazaar, close to Mount Everest. As of this report, there are 13 confirmed casualties with shockwaves felt as far away as the Indian capital of Dehli, and Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
More than three-quarters of the buildings in Kathmandu are uninhabitable or unsafe, according to a recent survey, and tens of thousands of people are living outside under tarpaulins, many provided by the ADRA network.
Our staff on the ground have been surveying Kathmandu and Lalitpur and found that many of the buildings, which were collapsed or damaged on April 25, were fortunately uninhabited during this earthquake, keeping injuries and casualties to a minimum up to this point. Nonetheless, the number is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts begin.
ADRA emergency response staff arrived in Nepal on April 25 to join ADRA Nepal delivering aid and support to communities devastated by the earthquake. Even as additional response begins in the wake of the latest earthquake, our current relief efforts will continue.
How To Help
Aid agencies are asking that those who want to help the people of Nepal give cash donations. “Cash donations enable organizations to respond to urgent needs as they change, which happens frequently in early stages of response,” Said Thierry Van Bignoot, ADRA’s Director for Emergency Management. “They are the most efficient and allow us to purchase goods locally, ensuring that everything we get is culturally and environmentally appropriate.”
