Nepal’s official quake toll 7,802, Red Cross says 8,413 dead

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions.  / FindYourMission.org.
Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions. / FindYourMission.org.

Kathmandu (IANS): Nepal on Thursday said the powerful earthquake which rocked the Himalayan nation last month has claimed 7,802 lives, but the Nepal Red Cross Society put the toll at 8,413.

The home ministry said another 15,911 people were injured in the April 25 temblor which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale.

A home ministry statement said 7,683 of the bodies were handed over to the kin of the deceased. A total of 6,088 injured people were still in various hospitals.

The ministry said 322 people — 211 Nepalese and 111 foreigners — were still missing.

Sindhupalchok district accounted for 3,035 deaths, followed by Kathmandu where 1,210 people were killed.

The quake destroyed 288,798 houses and 10,790 government buildings.

Another 254,411 houses and 14,997 government buildings were partially damaged.

Earlier on Thursday, the Nepal Red Cross Society put the toll at 8,413 and the number of injured at 17,576.

The earthquake, the worst to hit Nepal after 1934, caused widespread destruction.

 

NEPAL on Tuesday called upon people in different parts of the world to contribute to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of devastating earthquake which has left over 7,500 dead and millions displaced.

The 7.9 magnitude temblor has also left thousands of people injured.

N5In its appeal, Nepal’s home ministry said the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund was purely a relief fund, set up by the government, and used for rescue, treatment, relief, rehabilitation of victims and restoration of physical infrastructure damaged by natural disaster and calamities.

Money received from the government of Nepal or from any other national and international sources for the purpose of relief was deposited into this fund. It is solely used to provide relief to the affected people.

The fund cannot be spent on any other overheads including facilities and allowances to civil servants or used to provide donations.

At the Central Relief Fund level, a committee headed by the Vice Chairperson of the National Planning Commission and comprising of Secretaries of eight different ministries coordinate the fund’s activities.

Foreigners can contribute through Visa and Mastercards by going to the fund’s website.

Those who want to directly remit money through banks can do it in the following bank accounts.

Everest Bank Limited, A/c No 00101102200012, SWIFT Code: EVBLNPKA

Everest Bank Limited, A/c No 00100-105200270, SWIFT Code: EVBLNPKA

Global Banks Limited, A/c No 0411010000005, SWIFT Code: GLBBNPKA

Nepal Bangladesh Bank Limited, A/c No 035141C, SWIFT Code: NPBBNPKA

Nepal Bank Limited, A/c No 00211053313, SWIFT code: NEBLNPKA

Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited, A/c No 18013243801, SWIFT Code: SCBLNPKA

 

AROUND 650 search and rescue personnel from 13 countries, including 313 Indians, have left Nepal as the rehabilitation efforts in the quake-hit Himalayan country can now be handled by domestic agencies, officials here said on Tuesday.

The foreign teams have gradually started leaving the country as the search and rescue efforts were nearing an end and the situation returning to normal, with very few bodies remaining under the rubble.

Those who returned to their countries till Tuesday included 313 from India, 35 from Pakistan, 42 from Belgium, 27 from Canada, 62 each from the Netherlands and Poland, 12 from Spain, 37 from Turkey, 22 each from Germany and Britain, nine each from France and Switzerland, and four Americans, according to statistics released by Nepal’s home ministry.

The Nepal Army was coordinating the efforts with the foreign teams following the 7.9-magnitude earthquake on April 25 that has left over 7,500 people killed.

Army spokesperson Gen. Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel told IANS that the foreign teams have gradually started leaving Nepal as the situation can be now handled by the domestic agencies.

As many as 4,050 experts from 34 countries joined the search and rescue efforts in Nepal in the aftermath of the quake.

A total of 129 sniffer dogs were also involved in the efforts.

The Nepal government on April 25 appealed to the international community to send in their personnel.

“Generally, it is expected that the search and rescue bid goes on for a week. It has almost come to an end. So they are gradually leaving the country,” Pokhrel said.

The rest of the teams will leave the country soon, he added.

Seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that have already returned or are in the process of returning include 313 individuals — 167 by air and 146 by road.

The Indian medical teams presently deployed in Nepal include — Sinamangal APF Base (96), Lagankhel (142), Gorkha Bazar (6), Barpak (6), Dhading Besi with district health office (8).

Meanwhile, 13 other countries have set up mobile medical camps or field hospitals in various places.

On May 2, the Nepal home ministry stated: A total of 3,169 people, including medical and relief and rescue personnel from 28 countries are helping ongoing efforts in Nepal: India (962) China (370), Pakistan (87), Sri Lanka (140), Turkey (79), Bangladesh (17), Israel (286), Netherlands (62), Bhutan (62), Poland (81), US (94), Japan (98), Malaysia (47), France (47), Spain (9), Korea (14), Singapore (106), Thailand (54), Belgium (42), Russia (87), Norway (37), Britain (145), Canada (10), Germany (52), UAE (29), Jordan (23), Sweden (72) and Indonesia (57).