UAE digs deep for Nepal quake victims

More than 230 tonnes of relief aid and millions of dirhams in donations have been sent to earthquake-affected Nepal from the UAE.

Bharat Rana and other members of the Nepalese community in the UAE have been gathering goods to send back to their earthquake stricken country. Lee Hoagland/The National

ABU DHABI // The UAE has sent more than 230 tonnes of relief aid and millions of dirhams in donations to earthquake-stricken Nepal.

The materials include blankets, tents, household items and food. Another shipment is expected to be sent this week.

Since the killer quake on April 25, the Nepalese embassy in the UAE has mobilised and generated tonnes of relief aid from around the country.

While the exact amount of UAE donations is not known as many donors have pledged funds through private channels, the embassy has recorded more than Dh1.98 million in transfers so far.

This includes a Dh720,946 donation from M A Yousef Ali, chairman of the M K group, and Dh360,473 from Sudhir Kumar Shetty, UAE Exchange chief operations officer.

Sheikha Fatima bint Mukarak pledged Dh5 million on April 26.

Other donations not recorded by the embassy include Dh210,000 from the Indian Business Council to the UAE Red Crescent, and Dh160,000 by the Sharjah Indian Association.

“This a testing time for Nepalese as most parts of the country have badly been devastated by the killer earthquake,” said Dhananjay Jha, Nepalese ambassador to the UAE. “The embassy has record of more than 5.5 crore Nepalese rupees (Dh1.98 million), which were transferred so far, and the generous works are continuing. But the total could run in the millions of dirhams.”

In addition to cash donations, others have given material supplies.

The India Social and Cultural Centre donated 10 tonnes of supplies, and the embassy in Abu Dhabi collected and sent 17 lorries of aid to the Red Crescent. The consulate in Dubai sent six lorries of supplies.

All relief material is being transported to the Nepali capital, Kathmandu, by the Red Crescent.

Mr Jha thanked the communities and the UAE government for their “generous and outstanding support”.

He urged the UAE to participate in the country’s reconstruction process more generously as most parts of Nepal were damaged by the quake, which has killed at least 8,500 people.

India Social and Cultural Centre president Ramesh Panicker said collections have been undertaken around the local Indian community and delivered to the embassy.

He said that many Indians have been going to markets and shops specifically to buy supplies for Nepal.

Krishna Bhusal, president of the Non-Resident Nepalese Association in Abu Dhabi, speculated that about 170 tonnes of aid had been sent from the emirate, and about 100 tonnes was transferred from Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

“We have publicised about aid through social media sites, TV, radio and newspapers, and in all communities people responded generously.”

For those who want to donate, they are requested to make a deposit in the name of the prime minister disaster relief fund. Accounts details are at www.nepalembassyuae.org.