Drone shows earthquake damage as agencies race to rescue victims in Nepal
Rescue efforts continue as Nepal comes to terms with the devastation of the earthquake and aftershocks that rocked the country at the weekend. Hundreds of thousands are now homeless as supplies and facilities begin to become stretched. Photo: Laxmi Prasad Ngakhusi / UNDP Nepal.
Drone footage filmed by local Nepali bloggers MySansar.com shows the extent of the damage to apartment blocks and other residences in Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley, where several hundred people have died.
Rescue workers are unable to reach some of the areas identified here, according to one local journalist.
NGOs, UN agencies and rescue operations from India and Japan are among those assisting the Nepalese authorities with relief and rescue efforts.
“It is essential that we move quickly and effectively,” said Jamie McGoldrick, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Nepal. “We need to ensure that no further lives are lost and the needs of the most vulnerable are prioritized.”
Aerial photos shot from a rescue helicopter show the damage to terraced hilltop villages in central Nepal. This area is home to the Gurung people, one of eight different indigenous groups in Nepal. The photos were taken by staff at the office of former Prime Minister Bhattarai who visited the affected areas.
Below, Oxfam’s country director in Nepal describes the situation they’re seeing.
The death toll as of Monday morning ET stood at over 3,700.
It is likely to rise as more bodies are uncovered beneath rubble.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands are homeless and beginning to struggle as supplies run short. Hospitals are operating at full capacity.
