Nepal Army teams begin operation in Gorkha villages

GORKHA, April 27: Nepal Army (NA) rescue teams have begun operation in Barpak and Lapak villages of Gorkha. Ninety six people have been rescued till now and brought to Pokhara for treatment. According to Prem Bahadur Thapa, the chief of Bhairabi Dal Gan, Gorkha, NA officials airlifted the injured in three different trips to Pokhara.

“We have rescued 96 persons and taken them to Pokhara for treatment. Meanwhile, search and rescue missions are ongoing” said Thapa.

However, Gumda and Mangbu VDCs, the villages north to epicentre of Barpak still await rescue. Most villages of those VDCs remain buried.
Laprak is said to be have the highest casualty and property loss. The military has been using two helicopters to assist in rescue operations since Monday. So far, 20 injured from Laprak have been transferred to Pokhara and Kathmandu for further treatment.
The rescue helicopter of Indian Army carrying out missions in the area returned without landing due to adverse conditions.
The death toll in the district as a result of the devastating earthquake that hit the country on Saturday has now reached 250.
“More than 250 people have lost their lives, we are yet to get the final figures from the northern most remote parts of the district,” said DSP,Arjun Chandra Thakuri. The available statistics includes the casualties from villages adjacent to area police posts, he added. As the number of casualties is increasing every passing hour, the death toll is also likely to rise even further.
The densely populated village of Barpak, with more than 1100 households, has been completely buried. About 99 percent of the houses have been badly damaged. Transportation has come to a complete halt and communication with the district headquarters has been disrupted. The Nepal Army medical team reached the village on Sunday afternoon. Medical teams have been taken to Laprak and villages above Arugaht with the help of rescue helicopters offered by the government of India. The members of parliament from Gorkha district have also reached the remote village with medicine and relief materials.

As many as 30 persons have lost their lives in a single VDC around Saurpani and Aruchanaute, according to the police. Hundreds have been injured, and they have been receiving treatment at the District Hospital since Saturday. Ten critically injured have been referred to other hospitals.

“Four of them are in critical condition,” said Krishna Dhakal, a doctor at the hospital. The injured are being treated in the open in makeshift tents due to a lack of space on the hospital premises. Most of the victims sustained head and leg injuries.

Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are involved in the rescue operation. “Treatment for the injured is our priority. We have been treating them even by bringing in medicines from other districts,” said Uddab Timalsina, Chief District Officer. The massive death toll in the district has caused panic and the situation is getting worse due to scarcity of medicines to treat hundreds of patients, added Timalsina.