Belgian aid worker heads to Nepal for disaster relief

Paul Vandemoortel, from Bruges, is preparing to depart for Nepal, where he will dedicate 3.5 months to providing crucial emergency aid. His journey comes in the wake of a devastating mudslide, triggered by a glacier burst earlier this week, which has obliterated entire villages.

The disaster has resulted in hundreds of confirmed deaths, with an alarming figure of over 1,300 people still unaccounted for. Vandemoortel, who serves as the chairman of the vzw Himalayan Projects, has a long-standing commitment to supporting the Nepalese population.

Himalayan Projects is known for dispatching mobile teams to offer medical and dental assistance in Nepal. This existing support is now being significantly scaled up in response to the immediate crisis. "We are going to provide emergency aid, which is essentially our regular work," Vandemoortel stated. "We provide medical assistance ourselves, along with doctors and nurses. In addition, as urgent emergency aid, we are also distributing food, clothing, tents, and flashlights."

The organization is also supplying materials to restore essential services like electricity and drinking water. "We are bringing batteries so people can charge their phones, as there is no electricity anywhere," Vandemoortel explained. "We are also providing drinking water through purification tablets."

Vandemoortel will focus his efforts in the broader region surrounding the most severely impacted areas, which are often difficult to access. He noted that the disaster's effects extend downstream, with mud and debris reaching India. "Many small mud houses, as we call them, where the poorest and landless live, have been washed away. These people are currently receiving very little help."