WASHINGTON, April 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Red
Cross Societies across the globe, including the American Red Cross,
are rushing into Nepal with
emergency humanitarian assistance following this weekend's
devastating earthquake.
The American Red Cross has disaster specialists on the way to
Nepal and is committing an initial
$300,000 to the relief effort. The
American Red Cross is working closely with the Nepal Red Cross
Society (NRCS) and global Red Cross network to coordinate
additional support. The American Red Cross is providing remote
mapping and information management support to the earthquake
response to obtain a more accurate assessment of the
destruction.
RED CROSS ON THE GROUND The Nepal Red Cross is providing
first aid, search and rescue, blood to medical facilities in the
capital and support to first responders. The NRCS has extensive
experience in responding to natural disasters and plays a leading
role in the government's contingency plan.
The Red Cross has approximately 19,000 non-food relief kits
available in Nepal which include
clothing, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, and personal
hygiene items. Nearly 1,200 tarpaulins have already been
distributed to displaced families and the Red Cross is activating
its logistics systems in Kuala
Lumpur and Dubai to
mobilize additional relief materials in the coming days.
HOW TO HELP To help those affected by the Nepal
Earthquake, visit Redcross.org or contact your local American Red
Cross chapter.
HELP FINDING LOVES ONES The Nepal Red Cross Society and
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are working to
reunite families separated by the earthquake in Nepal. To learn more, visit the Nepal
Earthquake Restoring Family Links page on the ICRC web site.
EXTENSIVE DEVASTATION The earthquake is the largest to
hit Nepal since 1934 and already
has caused significant destruction and loss of life. Accessibility
to remote areas surrounding Kathmandu is a major challenge, hampering
search and rescue and relief efforts. At least 2,000 people have
been killed, with thousands more injured. At least 15 aftershocks,
ranging from magnitude 5 to 6.6, caused further damage to buildings
and increased the risk of collapse. Electricity and telephone
connectivity is intermittent and mobile services are experiencing
heavy congestion. Hospitals continue to function but are stretched
to the limits.
LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP The American Red Cross has
been working with the Nepal Red Cross (NRCS) since 1999, supporting
both disaster relief and disaster preparedness programming.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional
support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the
nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides
international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and
their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that
depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to
perform its mission. For more information, please
visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter
at @RedCross.
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SOURCE American Red Cross