[from Episcopal Relief &
Development] Episcopal Relief &
Development is working with the ecumenical ACT Alliance in
Nepal and local partners in northern India and southwest
China regarding urgent needs and assessment efforts
following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near
Kathmandu on the morning of April 25.
The earthquake was centered east
of Nepal's capital, near the town of Pokhara, though the
initial quake and subsequent aftershocks were felt as far away as Pakistan,
more than 800 miles away.
The
death toll reported late April 27 exceeds 5,000, including 17 who died in an
avalanche on Mt. Everest, with the number expected to rise
over the coming days. Due to the rough terrain and
isolated nature of communities in Nepal and across the
Himalayas, search and rescue efforts are being carried out
on foot and by helicopter. Communications are still down
across wide areas of the region, further hampering
assessment and rescue efforts.
"The mountain communities that we
suspect are in most need of help are also the hardest to get
to, accessible only by foot under normal circumstances,"
said Nagulan Nesiah, Episcopal Relief & Development's
Senior Program Officer for Disaster Response and Risk
Reduction. "Getting assessment teams there to gather
information will be a challenge, as will transporting the
relief supplies that are needed so urgently." Click here to read more
updates from Episcopal Relief & Development.
Donations
to the Nepal Earthquake relief fund may be made online here.
A Prayer for First Responders
Blessed are you, Lord, God of mercy, who through your Son gave us a marvelous example of charity and the great commandment of love for one another. Send down your blessings on these your servants, who so generously devote themselves to helping others. Grant them courage when they are afraid, wisdom when they must make quick decisions, strength when they are weary, and compassion in all their work. When the alarm sounds and they are called to aid both friend and stranger, let them faithfully serve you in their neighbor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from the Book of Blessings, #587, by Diana Macalintal)
Blessed are you, Lord, God of mercy, who through your Son gave us a marvelous example of charity and the great commandment of love for one another. Send down your blessings on these your servants, who so generously devote themselves to helping others. Grant them courage when they are afraid, wisdom when they must make quick decisions, strength when they are weary, and compassion in all their work. When the alarm sounds and they are called to aid both friend and stranger, let them faithfully serve you in their neighbor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from the Book of Blessings, #587, by Diana Macalintal)
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