• File Photo

Of total 4,500 rescuers and 129 sniffer dogs that arrived in the country, the rescue team from Turkey have all returned while portion of the rescue units from Japan and America have also gone back with more foreigners gradually returning, said Home Ministry Spokesperson Laxmi Prasad Dhakal.

The rescue units arriving from 34 countries included military forces from 18 different countries of which 498 personnel from France, Switzerland, Germany, Britain, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the US, Pakistan and India have already returned, according to the Nepal Army.

Spokesperson Dhakal said stranded tourists from all the rural areas of the country except those trapped in Langtang and Manaslu mountain areas had been rescued.

More than 4,000 medical personnel in 87 teams from foreign countries and more than 1,000 of a hundred medical teams from within the country were involved in treatment of those injured in the earthquake, Home Ministry said. At least 18 countries including two international organizations are lending their help in treating the quake victims.

Rs 1.79 billion has been so far released from the Central Natural Disaster Relief Fund meant for relief for the quake affected families. A total of Rs 2 billion has been collected in the Fund.

Spokesperson Dhakal said that request has been made to inform the chief district officers in both the developed and remote districts to make the ongoing relief distribution jobs more balanced and systematic.

“Individuals can distribute relief but request was made to inform the chief district officers aiming to provide the relief materials in the areas where it is lacking,” Dhakal said.

One-way traffic in Rasuwa, Tatopani

Likewise, the Ministry said that one-way traffic has resumed along the Dolalghat-Tatopani road section of Araniko highway from Tuesday.

Similarly, the traffic system up to the district headquarters of Rasuwa, Dhunche, has also came into operation.

The Ministry also said that the 14 Indian helicopters made 453 flights from Kathmandu and Pokhara to the quake affected regions for relief and rescue operations. The Indian copters made 190 flights to Gorkha from Pokhara while rest of the flights were made from Kathmandu.

Similarly, six helicopters of Nepal Army made 608 flights and the equal number of helicopters of the private sector made 487 flights.

The Ministry said that five US helicopters have arrived in Kathmandu on Monday and they supplied foodstuffs to Charikot, the district headquarters in Dolakha.

“No helicopters from China and the UK have arrived just for rescue missions,” Dhakal clarified.

Dhakal also said that 808 foreigners stranded in the quake-affected districts were rescued. RSS