WORLD Vision is sending tents, medicine and hygiene packs into Nepal as CEO Tim Costello flies in to assess earthquake damage.
MORE than 2,000 people are dead after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal on Saturday.
Mr Costello, who was due to fly to Nepal on Sunday night, said World Vision has 200 staff, mainly Nepalese, working in the country. “We’re just hearing that many people’s homes, including many staff homes, have been destroyed and they’re sleeping out,” he told AAP. “We’re flying in tents, hygiene packs, medicines – the hospitals are overflowing and can’t cope.” Mr Costello said World Vision’s rapid response teams, which include water and sanitation experts, were being deployed from India and Bangladesh. “Child protection experts are with them, they’ve gone in,” he said. “Lots of kids are disoriented, disconnected, sometimes families broken up, you can get predators. So we have child-friendly spaces.” Mr Costello said the response teams were trained to work in disaster zones. After helping quake victims with emergency shelter in the immediate aftermath of the quake, World Vision’s assessment team will focus on Gorkha and Lamjung, near the quake epicentre, to assist an estimated 40,000 people. Mr Costello said the airport wasn’t damaged, so relief flights could land. He said anyone who wanted to donate could call 13 32 40 or go to the World Vision’s website – worldvision.com.au.