Nepal Earthquake.

At around 11:10 local time (06:11 GMT) on Saturday (25/4/15) magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck in the centre of Nepal around 77km (47 miles) north-west of the capital Kathmandu. Although 7.8 is a medium to large rather then a massive 'quake Saturday's is very close the being the largest 'quake to strike Nepal (8.1 in 1934) and struck at a shallowish depth of around 15km (9 miles). To put it in perspective an aftershock today measured 6.7 which would be considered a significant earthquake in its own right. 

Nepal is a small and impoverished country and in fact just last month a team of international earthquake experts were in the country to highlight that most Nepalese buildings would not be capable of surviving and 'quake even smaller then this one.

Sadly my first thought on all this was to realise that between the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform (ADP) to produce a new climate change agreement and the UK election I am failing to do the work I have already got to do. Therefore I am in no position to take on even more work so will have to largely sit this one out.

Fortunately Nepal is located between two emerging superpowers in the form of India and China and India in particular have been very quick to respond manging to get the first relief flights on the ground in Kathmandu in just six hours.

The main thing that is needed at this stage of the relief effort is highly trained specialists in urban search and rescue who are no doubt preparing to fly in from around the globe as I write. The Nepalese government has also put out and international call for equipment to supply fresh water, tents for shelter, sleeping bags for warmth and most ominously bodybags. These of course all cost money;

So in the UK you can donate via; http://www.redcross.org.uk/NepalEarthquake?gclid=CJ3Mr7CElcUCFQsCwwodfnoAsw

Or internationally via; https://www.oxfam.org/

Or; www.unicef.org

22:40 on 26/4/15 (UK date).