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A ShelterBox response team is preparing to travel to Nepal to see how ShelterBox can be of assistance following an earthquake measuring 7.8 in magnitude.
The quake occurred between the major cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara , with tremors felt as far away as Delhi in India. More than 500 people are reported to have died following the earthquake, while there is extensive damage to homes and buildings.
ShelterBox is already in talks with several aid agencies and Rotary contacts based in Nepal to see where we can help.
Dave Ray, ShelterBox Operations Coordinator, said: ‘One of our contacts based in Kathmandu told us that the environment is filled with fear and that people have been told to expect more tremors. There is a lot of damage in Kathmandu and emergency relief will be required for sure.’
In addition, a ShelterBox response team is heading to Nepal to get a first-hand idea of the scale of destruction and the level of need for shelter. We already have aid, including tents, prepositioned in the country, which could be used as emergency clinics, as well as shelters in the immediate aftermath.
Sadly, ShelterBox has responded to several disasters in Nepal throughout the years. Most recently ShelterBox provided aid to people who had lost their homes in the north of the country due to flooding and landslides last autumn.
