Fears linger in Nepal as intl aid pours in

Members of China International Search and Rescue Team transfer a survivor in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, on April 26, 2015. China International Search and Rescue Team rescued the first survivor during its humanitarian mission following a fatal quake in Nepal. [Photo/Xinhua]

SUPPLY SHORTAGES

Two days after the massive quake, the Nepalese authorities have been grappling with the rescue work, with lack of food, water and medical supplies.

Thousands of desperate people crowded in tents here, many with empty stomach. The few stores that were open had nearly nothing on their shelves.

Many people who were wounded or ill had to lay in open field as the city's hospitals were to capacity.

Nepal has about two physicians and 50 hospital beds for every 10,000 people, according to a 2011 World Health Organization report.

The UN Children's Fund said Sunday that nearly 1 million children in areas affected by the earthquake were in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The United Nations warned in a report that diarrhea was already a growing problem and a measles outbreak was feared with a shortage of vaccines.

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE

Nepalese authorities said rescue operations are underway but hampered by damaged roads, ineffective communication lines and landslides, and are slow in remote areas due to a lack of equipment.

More than a dozen countries have sent rescue teams and humanitarian aid.

A 62-strong Chinese team arrived in Nepal on Sunday. "We worked at the scene continuously for a day and night, and forget today (Monday) is the birthday of China's International Rescue Team," said deputy chief Qu Guosheng, who was in Nepal last month training local rescue teams.

The Chinese government has decided to provide aid worth 20 million yuan ($3.3 million), including tents, blankets and generators.

A US military plane departed Sunday morning for Nepal carrying 70 personnel, including a US Agency for International Development disaster assistance response team, an urban search and rescue team and 45 tons of cargo. A 57-person task force of firefighters from California was also sent to Nepal on Sunday. The United States is also dispatching an initial aid of 1 million US dollars for the disaster.

A number of other countries have also pledged to send rescue teams, including Japan, France, Australia, Israel, Pakistan, Singapore and South Korea.

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