Shropshire Star

Shropshire volunteer: Nepal is living in fear after quakes

The devastation in Nepal has seen people from across the world travel to help. Shropshire's Ant Eddies-Davies describes his own experience of how the disaster has changed the country forever.

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Flying from Bhutan to Nepal over the roof of the world, the Himalayan summits penetrated the clouds and all seemed idyllic. This is the complete contrast to what actually lies hidden below as I touched down in Kathmandu.

My first impressions as we came in to land were surprisingly positive at first, with no mass destruction obvious from the plane. But then I spotted the mosaic of coloured tarpaulins filling every spare bit of open space below, scattered throughout the capital.

"The scale of destruction was incredible."

These are the words of a West Midlands Ambulance Service doctor who has seen first-hand the horrors of the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake.

It is almost a month since the devastating earthquake struck Nepal but humanitarian work continues 24-hours-a-day.

Dr Malcolm Russell was one of five West Midlands Ambulance Service staff to fly out and offer his services. A medical incident officer, he recently returned home but is about to depart again to help in Nepal.

He was deployed as part of the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) team, which included 67 personnel and four search dogs, that flew out the day after the earthquake hit.

Dr Russell has given a full account of his harrowing time in the country. He said:

"It soon became apparent that the main area of need was in the more remote mountainous areas which had only been visited briefly by military helicopters, dropping in aid and removing the more serious casualties.

"We spent most of the next week, on request of the Nepalese government, re-focussing on an area outlying the town of Chautara about 50km to the north-east of Kathmandu.

"The scale of destruction was incredible. It was certainly fortunate that the earthquake struck in the daytime on a Saturday, when many people would have been outside, or at least able to run outside quickly.

"Even so, there had been large numbers of dead and injured and it was very saddening to see whole villages completely destroyed."

Back in the UK, 46-year-old Dr Russell said: "

As the plane taxied to the terminal I could also see military planes loading to depart. The first response teams have done their jobs and have started to depart whilst the aid teams are still on the ground working throughout Nepal.

On the ground it was a little more subdued than the vibrancy that I'm used to, but in a weird way driving through the city to the hotel, it did seem the same old Nepal I love and it feels right for me to be here at this time.

At the hotel I was joined by a friend of 25 years, Gerry Moffatt, who has also been here to see for himself the effects of the disaster. Unexpectedly, during a catch-up over breakfast, the windows shook, deep rumbling surrounded us and everyone looked more than a little worried, expecting the worse, only to find out it was one of the many low-flying military helicopters passing over the city.

By the reaction in the room it was immediately evident that everyone is living in permanent fear of more to come. There have been over 100 tremors and aftershocks since the first quake. Everyone uses stairs and not the lifts and carrying passports at all times seem to be the general rule!

I ventured into the older area of Kathmandu – Bhaktapur, famous for its old temples and religious sites. It was hard to walk around without sharing their loss at the destruction of these 12th century structures all tightly squeezed into one area, with many totally gone and others propped up full of cracks.

Speaking to locals in the area, they estimated 1,500 plus have died as a result of the destruction just in this part of the city and now many of the buildings still standing will need demolishing and are presently unsafe.

Many were out clearing rubble with their hands and families sifting through debris for remnants of their homes.

There seems to be a lot of movement of people as a result of the earthquake. Many have left Kathmandu for the safety of villages unaffected by the earthquake, scared of the risk of further shocks and already damaged properties. I have also seen those that have fled their rural villages where homes were flattened, to find shelter in the capital, even if it is only a tarp over their head – it's the safer option.

Gerry and I met up with a friend – Mahendra Thapa – which was more of a reunion for the three of us as we were once partners in a resort about two hours North East of Kathmandu at Sukute. This area and a district called Sindhupalchok is one of the areas worst hit with an estimated 60,000 of the 65,000 homes flattened to the ground and still many without shelter and the onset of the monsoon season fast approaching.

Mahendra is helping manage the international teams on the ground to ensure help is distributed to those most in need and doing a fantastic job.

After checking a few friends are OK around Kathmandu, I'm heading up to the Sindhupalchok area to see for myself.

I have been warned it looks like a warzone and has been completely flattened, but this is an area where I have worked, lived in their communities, built schools, trained guides and made many friends. This is the reason I came. To show these communities that the help has not gone, but is here for the long-term.

As my first day comes to an end, I get a call from friends in Kathmandu who have left the city for the safety of their home village. Their office is unsafe and they fear being in their own home with the obvious risk of more aftershocks. With one of them in plaster with a broken leg and restricted ability to react – the risk is too high.

Their desperation for an end to these tragic events and the thoughts of such a massive recovery can be heard in their voices, and you can't help but get a little emotional.

Our 'Nepal Appeal' now has its own dedicated website – www.nepalappeal.com – with all the fundraising events and details of our total target of £25,000.

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