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28 April 2015 - Last Saturday's earthquake devastated the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu and surrounding areas as well as affecting neighbouring countries, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. More than 3,600 people have died with a further 6,500 injured, according to Nepalese officials. The death toll is expected to rise sharply, with hundreds of thousands of people having lost their homes, and could potentially exceed 15,000 according to certain aid agencies. Women, children and elderly people sit outside in the cold and wind, while numerous people are still buried and dying under the collapsed buildings.
The immediate priority now is to provide emergency shelter to those left homeless by the earthquake, as well as water and sanitation.
PSI affiliates in Nepal have already started carrying out relief work and PSI has donated from the Asia Pacific Fund.
“We must continue to make it a priority to work together to pressure governments and the United Nations to increase investment in emergency services and skills training. Governments and UN agencies must involve public service workers, increase training, improve health and safety standards, and improve facilities, equipment and communications for the workers dealing with these calamities. Again and again we are proved correct in our arguments, when these disasters take huge tolls of human lives and livelihoods while governments remain inactive.” said Rosa Pavanelli, PSI General Secretary.
PSI extends its solidarity and sincere condolences to PSI union members, their families and communities who have experienced trauma or losses caused by the serious earthquakes in Nepal on 25 April 2015.
PSI’s offices in Singapore and India will be monitoring the situation closely in collaboration with our sisters and brothers in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.
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