Relief organization Al Imdaad Foundation (AIF) is expected to dispatch a team from South Africa later this week in order to join their aid workers from Bangladesh in their rescue and aid efforts in Nepal. AIF began its rescue efforts in Nepal on Monday after a massive earthquake struck the landlocked country on the weekend. The foundation activated their regional offices as well as international offices around the globe to render much needed aid to Nepal, where 8 million people have been affected – more than a quarter of the country’s population.

AIF spokesperson Qari Ziyaad Patel said their team from Bangladesh reached Kathmandu on Monday and have been scrambling to assist on the ground. The team from Bangladesh is comprised of a few medics and emergency personnel.

“The first thing that they (rescue team) were involved in were search and rescue operations and at the same token they were doing some basic distributions,” Patel explained.

The 7.8 quake has claimed more than 5,000 lives. Many survivors remain in desperate need of food and water.

A cargo hold laden with vital supplies was secured by the foundation and landed on Monday in Kathmandu to be distributed in the much needed areas.

“We have linked up with the Nepalese military as well as a team from Turkey,” Patel said.

This will help the rescue workers to gain access to remote areas in and around Kathmandu.

Patel could not confirm whether the AIF team has made contact with any South African citizens currently in Nepal.

“Communication is a bit of an issue in Kathmandu and so far the wifi is only working in certain locations.”

AIF’s South Africa volunteers are expected to enter Nepal via Kathmandu, but information regarding the team has not been confirmed as yet.

The earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 has killed more than 5000 people and left countless homeless. It’s been described as the worst earthquake in 80 years. The quake has spread destruction across a wide area of territory, severely damaging Kathmandu’s historic center, flattening remote villages and triggering a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest.

The quake has also affected neighbouring countries including India, Bhutan and China. Many have been killed and injured in India’s West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh states. More than 30 aftershocks have occurred since the quake struck causing further trauma to the already terrified victims.

To donate to Al Imdaad’s emergency appeal visit www.alimdaad.com or call 0861 786 243. VOC (Umarah Hartley)