WATCH: There was relief for some of the Canadians who have been stuck in Nepal following last Saturday’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake. A Canadian Forces plane airlifted them out of the country. But recovery efforts continue in the devastated country. Jackson Proskow reports from Kathmandu.
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- UPDATE: (1 p.m. ET: The C-17 scheduled to land in Kathmandu on Thursday is delayed and will now arrive on May 1.
VANCOUVER – A Canadian Forces C-17 aircraft left Nepal’s capital on Wednesday carrying Canadian evacuees from the earthquake-ravaged country and has since landed in New Delhi, India.
The Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) confirmed the flight took off from Kathmandu at 12:45 p.m. ET, with about 100 passengers on board — including Canadians and some non-Canadians. Additionally, more than 70 Canadians have been able to get out of the country on commercial flights.
“Canadian officials have been working tirelessly to assist Canadians in Nepal following Saturday’s earthquake,” Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson said in a statement.
Nicholson said Canadians who arrived aboard the flight to New Delhi would have access to consular assistance to help organize travel documents, transport, lodging and medical assistance if needed.
READ MORE: How Canadians can help the victims of the Nepal earthquake
A second Canadian aircraft will arrive in Kathmandu on Thursday and will also be able to transport more Canadians who wish to leave the country.
“Canadians able to reach Kathmandu and in need of assistance to depart should make their way to the Phora Durbar American Club, located in central Kathmandu near the Thamel neighbourhood, where a Canadian consular service point has been established,” Nicholson said. “Those not able to reach Kathmandu should contact the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi, India, or the EWRC (Emergency Watch and Response Centre).”
READ MORE: Nova Scotia man living in Nepal opts to stay in quake-stricken community and help relief efforts
Like the plane that arrived on Wednesday, the flight coming in Thursday will carry supplies to help with disaster response.
WATCH: Global’s Jackson Proskow was on the tarmac as a Canadian Forces C-17 offloaded vital relief supplies in Kathmandu
The C-17 Globemaster aircraft that will arrive on Thursday will carry equipment — including a cargo vehicle, military ambulance and a forklift — to assist with the Canadian Disaster Assistance and Response Team (DART) that has already arrived in the country. It will also bring 51 Canadian Armed Forces personnel to Nepal to take part in relief efforts.
More than 5,000 people are confirmed to have died in the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday, but there are fears the death toll could hit 10,000 as recovery efforts continue in more remote areas. More than 10,000 people were injured in the quake and the United Nations estimates some 500,000 people are in need of emergency shelter.
Approximately 70,000 houses were destroyed in the quake and subsequent aftershocks, while a further 530,000 homes were damaged.
Nicholson said the Canadian government took “immediate action” to respond to the disaster. On top of sending DART and other resources, the federal government provided an initial $5 million in financial assistance. Since then, the government has also promised to match the amount of personal donations made to the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund between April 25 and May 25.
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