AmeriCares Sends Personnel, Supplies to Nepal Following Devastating Earthquake

The Stamford-based relief agency AmeriCares is sending emergency teams to Nepal and preparing relief supply shipments following a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked that country early Saturday.

The massive quake struck shortly before noon local time with the epicenter about 50 miles from Kathmandu, causing buildings to collapse, setting off avalanches on Mount Everest and creating chaos throughout the region. The quake and aftershocks could be felt as far away as New Delhi. According to USA Today, at least 1,400 people died in Nepal and the death toll is rising. Hospitals are overflowing with patients and medical personnel are treating the injured in the streets.

The Nepali government has requested international assistance.

An emergency response team from the AmeriCares office in Mumbai, India is headed to the impact zone and relief workers are preparing shipments of medical aid and relief supplies for survivors, agency announced Saturday afternoon. AmeriCares stocks emergency medicine and relief supplies in its warehouses in the United States, Europe and India.

“Our emergency response team is en route to Nepal and we are prepared to help any way that we can,” AmeriCares President and CEO Michael J. Nyenhuis said in a statement. “This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the families suffering.”

AmeriCares International Disaster Relief Fund also is accepting donations for the Nepali relief effort at americares.org/nepalearthquake.

The USA Today story can be found here.

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