A 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook the Kathmandu Valley on Saturday, 25th April 2015. The quake has killed more than 4,000 civilians so far, and the number is expected to rise. Bhutan is fortunate to be largely unaffected by the quake though tremor can be felt in most of Bhutan. No buildings have been affected by this quake. Bhutan’s last major earthquakes occurred in 2011 (magnitude 6.8) and 2009 (6.3).
Rescue efforts are under-way, and the estimated death toll continues to rise. Homes, buildings, and infrastructure have been badly damaged and destroyed. Relief organizations are mobilizing to provide support and emergency supplies to the people impacted.
Tours to Bhutan are largely unaffected & remain safe
Travelers who are visiting Bhutan around this period are largely unaffected by this natural disaster. Daily tours and trekking activities are still operating as usual. We are also seeing some travelers shifting their travel plan from Nepal to Bhutan.
Passengers who are entering Bhutan via Kathmandu are being re-routed to other port of entry such as Bangkok, New Delhi and Calcutta. Drukair will be waiving any administration fee on rerouting of flights. On our part, Druk Asia will be waiving any cancellation and rescheduling fees for our travelers whose travel plan is affected by the quake.
Bhutan sent medical assistance and donation to Nepal
Bhutan sent a medical team of 54 people to Nepal to assist with rescue and recovery. The team is being deployed on the Royal Command of His Majesty the King. A medical unit of 11 doctors, including both surgeons and medical specialists, and 19 nurses and technicians of the health ministry and the Royal Bhutan Army form the core of the team. The medical team will be assisted by eight supporting staff, including an electrician. The team that will provide medical assistance for earthquake relief operations will also be assisted by 15 desuups.
At the same time, Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, visited Kathmandu to deliver a cheque of USD 1 million to Prime Minister Koirala of Nepal.
Earthquake nepal 2015 by Canadanepaltv
How you can help?
The quake affected 8 million people, 1.4 million are in need of food aid, 8,000 people are injured and casualties have risen to more than 4,000. Various international agencies are seeking donation to support their operation.
Donation via PayPal
PayPal is waiving fees for donations made through this campaign, ensuring that 100% of your gift reaches the organization you support. This would be the easiest and fastest way for you to support the recovery mission. You can review supported agencies on this link.
Donation via Facebook
Facebook will match every dollar donated up to $2 million. The donation will go to International Medical Corp. You can view the page here.
International Medical Corps’ emergency response teams are operating mobile medical units to deliver critically needed medical care and medicines to the regions hardest-hit by the earthquake. They’re distributing hygiene kits, water purification tablets and other supplies to keep families healthy. Moving forward, your gift will help teams support survivors, restore health care and help Nepal rebuild.
Contribute your time to Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)
Volunteers use aerial images from satellites to mark open spaces where helicopters or planes might land with supplies. They highlight streets between towns and villages, and outline buildings that aid groups can use to guess where victims might be. Using OpenStreetMap technology—known as the "Wikipedia of maps". The continuously updated maps that can be used online or downloaded into navigation devices. It will take about 45 minutes to understand the system, and you can start helping volunteers on the ground. Start helping the campaign here.
Drukair does not currently collect donation
Drukair Singapore has been informed that there is a WhatsApp message circulating to seek for donation items that will be sent to Kathmandu on Bhutan Airlines for free.
Much as we will like to help the victims of the Nepal earthquake, please note that the Kathmandu airport is now very congested, and they are very short-handed. It is no longer advisable to send donated items to Nepal.
Our prayers are with the victims in Nepal, and our Royal Bhutan Airlines (Drukair) colleagues currently working very hard in Kathmandu.
More coverage on Nepal Earthquake
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CNN's coverage of the quake
CNN on how you can help
