Steven Petrov
The Paw Print
On Saturday, April 25th a powerful earthquake, with a Richter magnitude of 7.9, hit Nepal. This has been the most devastating natural disaster in the last few decades for the Far-East country. The country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has officially announced on Sunday, April 26th that the number of victims has exceeded 2,350 and that hundreds of others are either missing or in critical condition, which is expected to end up pushing the total victims number much higher in the coming days. Chinese rescue units were sent to Nepal to help in the searching process and also provide any additional support to their Nepal colleagues.
The strongest earthquake wave, which was estimated to have a Richter magnitude of 7.9, was followed by multiple subsequent smaller earthquakes varying from 4 to 6.9 on the Richter magnitude. This has put the whole country into a complete chaos over the course of last weekend. The strong earthquakes were felt in the Northeastern parts of India, as well as in Myanmar and Bangladesh. This caused a sense of urgency among the country’s top officials in making sure that India is well prepared to respond adequately to any further and stronger earthquakes. The Indian Prime Minister, Narendar Modi, called an emergency meeting with the representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as with the country’s agency for emergency situations and responsiveness in order to ensure that all of the necessary steps that could be taken, have indeed been taken. India’s capital, Delhi stopped its flights to Nepal for a few hours after the initial news about the earthquakes came out.
The Russian minister of emergency situations, Vladimir Stepanov, has sent two airplanes with human resources and medical aid to help Nepal in dealing with the consequences of the devastating earthquake. The Russian help to Nepal will be split into two parts. The first group will include medical and psychology experts, accompanying the rescue teams, as well as engineers and construction specialists to analyze the overall construction damages. In the second unit the Russian government will send two more airplanes to Nepal, which will provide further help and will include a mobile medical facility, which will be of essential importance in providing the initial medical help to those in need, which often proves to be the most critical one.
The French government has also sent a rescue and medical aid unit to Nepal’s capital, Katmandu. The French Foreign Minister, Loran Fabius, stated on Sunday that the French help to the Nepal government includes 11 rescue teams, medical personnel, medications, as well as specially trained dogs to find people under the remains. Fabius also pointed out that France is ready to send any further help that Nepal might need in the recovery process of this terrible and devastating natural disaster.
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