On April 25 an earthquake with of 7.8 magnitude and a depth of 1.2 miles, hit Nepal near the capital city of Kathmandu. On a moment's notice, the earthquake ravaged the small country - demolishing countless buildings, monuments, and displacing millions of people. As the dust settled the people of Nepal realized the vast destruction at hand - thousands of people killed and injured as a result. With the sudden confusion and displacement, Nepalese children are the most affected.
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake, reportedly the worst in Nepal in the past 80 years, struck April 25, leveling buildings in the capital of Kathmandu and in Nepal's second-largest city of Pokhara. The death toll has been reported in the thousands and is expected to increase. Thousands more were injured and hospitals are facing difficulties providing care. Many people are staying outside of their houses, fearing aftershocks that can topple unstable buildings.
Children are always the most vulnerable in an emergency. Save the Children is deeply concerned that many girls and boys are injured or have been directly affected by the loss of family members and their homes. Our emergency health team has being deployed to Kathmandu to help survivors who have been injured. Furthermore we plan to airlift over 70 tons of relief supply - including blankets, tarps, buckets and shelter kits.
The Nepalese government has called for international assistance and has only limited capacity to respond. The government reported that 30 out of 75 districts in the western and central regions were affected. Save the Children has been working in Nepal since 1976 and has programs reaching across the country. We plan to continue assisting the Nepalese people and children as they recover from this crisis.
