Nepal government to deploy army to launch relief operations in earthquake-hit areas

The Nepali government has decided to deploy Nepal Army helicopters to launch emergency rescue and relief operations in the earthquake-hit areas, government officials said on Sunday.

An emergency meeting called by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli made a decision to dispatch warm clothes and food items in the mountainous areas of Gorkha District including Barpak, the epicenter of the April 25 earthquake last year, where the earthquake victims are in difficulties due to heavy snowfalls in recent days amid harsh winter.

"The army personnel will distribute warm clothes and food items to the earthquake victims and rescue them toward safe places," Nepal's Defense Minister Bhim Rawal, who also participated in the meeting, told reporters.

Chiefs of security forces, senior ministers and secretaries attended the meeting discussing about providing relief supports to the earthquake victims.

"The helicopters will be sent to the earthquake-hit areas as early as possible. We will send more if needed in next few days," Spokesman for the Nepal Army Tara Bahadur Karki told Xinhua.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli directed the security agencies to work in close coordination in relief operations in the earthquake-ravaged areas.

The Reconstruction Authority of Nepal, which came into operation last month, is responsible to oversee reconstruction-related works in the Himalayan country. Nepal was ravaged by the massive earthquakes on April 25 last year, in which over 9000 people lost their lives and another 23,000 thousand were injured.

Meanwhile, the Nepali government on Sunday said that it will provide 6,000 Nepalese rupees (approximately 60 U.S. dollars) to an earthquake victim's family in mountainous region to purchase warm clothes.

The prime minister addressed a Parliamentary meeting that the additional amount will be provided to victims to cope with the chilling cold. Earlier, the Nepali government had provided 10,000 rupees (approximately 100 dollars) each family.

Source: XINHUA