Just two weeks after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated large parts of Nepal, leaving thousands dead and millions without homes, a second powerful quake has rocked the country.
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the town of Namche Bazar, near Mount Everest. Just like the first disaster two weeks ago, this quake could be felt as far away as Delhi and has been followed by several powerful aftershocks.
ShelterBox currently has several response teams working in the country to provide shelter for the people who were made homeless by the first quake.
The teams, made up of Andrew Clark (UK), Dave Ray (UK), Phil Duloy (UK), Becky Maynard (UK), Sallie Buck (UK), Dave Hallett (CAN), Mike Peachey (NZ), Nicola Hinds (UK), Peter Pearce (UK), Andrew Kukielka (UK) Liz Odell (UK) and Liam Arthur (UK), are based in Kathmandu and the remote district of Sindhupalchok and are all currently safe.
ShelterBox response team member Liam Arthur, who is based in Sindhupalchok, described his experience of the second quake: ‘As we were standing, we were engulfed in clouds of dust.
‘The few buildings left standing around us, are now starting to fall down and everyone has started to stream towards the remaining areas of open space.’
So far, our response teams succeeded in providing shelter to almost 1,000 people in remote communities in the mountainous district of Sindhupalchok, despite almost impassible roads and heavy storms. They have also given tents to several hospitals in Kathmandu to provide safe spaces for people injured by the earthquakes to be treated.
However, the events of this morning mean that thousands of communities, many of whom were just starting to recover from the first earthquake, are now in need of more help than ever before.
Your support means that our ShelterBox response teams can continue their work to provide shelter to communities in need, no matter how remote they may be.
