Relief efforts for Nepal

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Canadian aid organizations quickly mobilized over the weekend and immediately began sending staff and supplies to the hardest hit areas of Nepal. The red cross already has 1500 volunteers and 300 staff on the ground in Nepal. “Right now what the Red Cross is doing in Nepal is providing emergency water, emergency food, emergency health care so money raised right now is going toward those activities.”

So far half a million dollars has been sent. “We’ve already started sending money in we have contingency funds available and we’ve already advanced some funds from around the world in fact into that operation so we can kick start that operation”

The Red Cross says more than 90% of the money raised will go directly to help the people in Nepal. Meanwhile the federal government announced it would match dollar for dollar donations made to the Nepal earthquake relief fund. Hours after the quake hit the feds announced a $5 million humanitarian assistance plan and disaster relief teams.

Hosptials in Kathmandu have been overwhelmed by the numbers of injured and dying. Conditions are less than ideal and supplies are running short. The nepalese community in Brampton is collecting things like needles, blood pressure monitors and medicine to send to the Siddhi memorial hospital there.

As time goes on the need of the people of Nepal will change and the Red Cross says it also has engineers and other experts available to send in when necessary.