Operation USA, a Los Angeles-based international relief agency, has announced that it is assessing needs in Nepal and the surrounding countries following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, and is planning to deliver recovery aid to affected communities. The agency will call on long standing partnerships in the country to facilitate the distribution of aid.
The earthquake-widely being reported as the worst to hit Nepal in 80 years-struck Nepal's heavily populated capital, Kathmandu, and impacted areas of India, Bangladesh, Tibet and China. With millions of people impacted and upwards of 1,400 deaths already confirmed as of Saturday morning, experts predict the death toll will rapidly increase and say that damage is significant.
Aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.6 continued to rattle the country Saturday morning, causing more extensive damage and further weakening infrastructure. The full extent of the damage is not yet known.Operation USA is calling for donations to aid in recovery efforts and funding for grant distribution to local agencies in Nepal. The NGO is also seeking corporate partners across the healthcare, transportation, water purification, shelter construction and power generation sectors to provide donated in-kind supplies of which there will be high need in areas affected by earthquake.
Early statements emerging from the country report that hospitals are experiencing severely reduced capacity and loss of access to vital supplies and equipment while being overwhelmed with those injured in the earthquake.
"We are arranging to send replacement equipment to hospitals in Nepal to restore capacity as soon as possible," said Richard Walden, CEO, Operation USA. "Donations, especially bulk in-kind materials from corporate partners, are critical at this time not only to deliver aid quickly, but also to ensure a long term commitment to the people of Nepal who face a long and challenging road ahead as they pick up the pieces in the earthquake's aftermath."
Operation USA has worked in Nepal since the mid 1980s, and has previously delivered donated medicines to Kanti Children's Hospital in Kathmandu. The organization maintains relationships with partner organizations on the ground through which recovery aid will be distributed.
How to Help:
Donations to Operation USA will be allocated directly to relief and recovery efforts in Nepal and the surrounding area.
Donate online at donate.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, PO BOX 36188, Los Angeles, CA 90036-0188. Donations can also be made via text message: text AID to 50555 to donate $10. Text donations are collected for the benefit of Operation USA by the mGive Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.mGive.org/t.
Corporate donations supporting recovery and rebuilding efforts - bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies, transportation and shipping services, shelter, power generation, water purification and medical supplies - are also being requested.
United and Continental air miles can be donated to Operation USA through United Airlines Charity Miles program at http://www.united.com.