69 Polish firefighters who participated in the rescue operation in earthquake-stricken Nepal, flew in on Wednesday evening to Warsaw. 13 other Polish expected to return to Friday. Together with firefighters also returned 12 rescue dogs.
On the military airport in Warsaw firefighters welcomed Brigadier General, Commander in Chief of the State Fire Service Wieslaw Leśniakiewicz.
Stressed that the action was done perfectly. However, the most pleased with the fact that survived have returned to the country. Thanking the rescuers said that during the action in Nepal showed great experience and “fortitude”.
– five years ago, we were in Haiti, now in Nepal. During those five years, these rescuers, not wasting, this action showed that they are well prepared, they have good equipment and effectively work – said Leśniakiewicz.
He thanked the military and airlines LOT for help in transporting firefighters to Nepal and their return.
Grateful Nepalese
Sami firefighters emphasized that the destruction after the earthquake that hit Nepal are huge, and they need help hundreds of thousands of people . Residents of the affected areas, however, are very open and welcoming. – Any help take with great gratitude. The needs are enormous. At this point, most of all need shelter, electricity, drinking water, food – said the deputy head of a group of rescuers Martin Kędra.
Getting to many villages because of damage, it was very difficult or virtually impossible. – Where we are lucky we have often been the first or among the first, and we gave the most basic assistance, including medical – Kędra said.
Huge suffering
Brigadier Wieslaw Drosio commander of the Warsaw group stressed that the hardest part in such actions is to look at suffering people, “the world came crashing down on his head”. He recalled a Nepalese man, who asked Poles to see what had happened to his son, daughter and wife. – We raised wall, unfortunately all died. Within half a minute of his life he was in ruins – says firefighter. – They lost everything. The house, their loved ones. I remember the girl who told us that his mother was in one of the rooms, but when we tried to reach her, she was dead. He was also the father who saw his son ran along the wall, hoping that maybe he survived. He also did not manage to save – he recalled.
As they say firefighters in their assigned area failed to find anyone alive, though very much wanted. There have been cases when dogs signaled such a possibility. Unfortunately, after reaching the sought turned out they were dead.
The difficult work of dogs
Rescuers stressed that while a large share roles played by dogs. He noted that the conditions – whether climate, among other a large number of people, great destruction, rescuers were for four-legged additional difficulty. The dogs worked in two groups.
– First relied on dogs. We were looking in places that meant. Their help was enormous. For example, the search of the building took time, we would have to do it all day. We also talked with the locals. They showed us where they can be their relatives. We tried to get to these places, because the buildings were so damaged that the dogs could not smell anything – said Drosio.
Rescuers also supported the Poles living in Nepal. – They asked us they, among others, about it to see if they can return to their homes, if these buildings are safe. Our specialists are assessed – pointed Drosio.
Source: TVN24 / x-news
Nepal flew 81 Polish firefighters from heavy search and rescue group USAR. From April 27 they took part in the exploration, gave medical assistance, assessed the condition of the buildings and helped in reaching beneath the rubble of the quake victims. They acted in Kathmandu, and also in several mountain villages in the region of Gorkha.
also coordinated activities related to the unloading and transfer of Polish humanitarian aid – a total of approx. 19 tons of tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food, medicines and cleaners, collected by NGOs such as Caritas, PHO, Polish Medical Mission, the Red Cross – and transferred from the Material Reserves Agency.
Firefighters returning brought with them specialized equipment, including Sensor geophones and video cameras; while left Poles living in Nepal – tents, food and water treatment plant. Tents donated a military unit, in the area where they camp. Polish rescue a group of searchers going to Nepal took with her the entire logistics base, so that during the action to be self-sufficient.
Polish humanitarian aid were delivered to Nepal five military aircraft C-130 Hercules and C-295M CASA with 33 and 8 transport aviation base. The route from Warsaw to Kathmandu is divided into two stages: Warsaw – New Delhi – Kathmandu. Stopovers to refuel and exchange crews were held in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, and in Termez in Uzbekistan. CASA of the 8th Military Transport Aviation Base in Balice provide assistance to the Indian capital – New Delhi; to Kathmandu was carrying her Herculesy – in two crops.
The earthquake that on Saturday, April 25 before noon struck around Kathmandu, was the strength of 7.9 on the Richter scale. It was the strongest earthquake in Nepal for 81 years. The next day aftershock occurred about the strength of 6.7 on the Richter scale. According to previous estimates, it killed more than 7.2 thousand. people, according to the Nepalese authorities, but the death toll could exceed 10 thousand. people. If that happens, it will be tragic earthquake in the history of the country; in 1934 it killed more than 8.5 thousand. people.
The UN estimates that as a result of the disaster affected 8.1 million people, or more than one-quarter of the population 28 millionth Nepal.
IAR / PAP / fc
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