Caritas Nepal: Situation 3 days after quake "pretty bad" as death toll rises

Caritas Nepal: Situation 3 days after quake "pretty bad" as death toll rises

(Vatican Radio) The death toll from Nepal's earthquake reached 3,300 on Monday, but is expected to be higher as news comes in from remote villages in the countryside. Tens of thousands of people have also been left homeless by Saturday’s magnitude 7.8 quake.

“The situation is pretty bad, even on the third day, because people are out on the street without a roof on top,” said Father Pius Perumana, the Director of Caritas Nepal.

Speaking from Katmandu, Father Perumana told Vatican Radio help is arriving, albeit slowly.

“Aid is coming, but then the problem is that we only have one international airport, and it is a very small one,” he said. “Katmandu may be covered in a day or two fully, but in outlying areas we may need helicopters in which to shift things.”

Father Perumana said the immediate needs of the population are “more shelters, food items, sanitary items, also at the same time search-and-rescue operations are still on because…there are more people trapped in collapsed buildings.”

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