Foreign rescue teams start leaving quake-hit Nepal

Around 650 search and rescue personnel from 13 countries, including 313 Indians, have left Nepal as the rehabilitation efforts in the quake-hit Himalayan country can now be handled by domestic agencies, officials here said on Tuesday.

The foreign teams have gradually started leaving the country as the search and rescue efforts were nearing an end and the situation returning to normal, with very few bodies remaining under the rubble.

Those who returned to their countries till Tuesday included 313 from India, 35 from Pakistan, 42 from Belgium, 27 from Canada, 62 each from the Netherlands and Poland, 12 from Spain, 37 from Turkey, 22 each from Germany and Britain, nine each from France and Switzerland, and four Americans, according to statistics released by Nepal's home ministry.

The Nepal Army was coordinating the efforts with the foreign teams following the 7.9-magnitude earthquake on April 25 that has left over 7,500 people killed.

Army spokesperson Gen. Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel told IANS that the foreign teams have gradually started leaving Nepal as the situation can be now handled by the domestic agencies.

As many as 4,050 experts from 34 countries joined the search and rescue efforts in Nepal in the aftermath of the quake.

A total of 129 sniffer dogs were also involved in the efforts.

The Nepal government on April 25 appealed to the international community to send in their personnel.

"Generally, it is expected that the search and rescue bid goes on for a week. It has almost come to an end. So they are gradually leaving the country," Pokhrel said.

The rest of the teams will leave the country soon, he added.

Seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that have already returned or are in the process of returning include 313 individuals -- 167 by air and 146 by road.

The Indian medical teams presently deployed in Nepal include -- Sinamangal APF Base (96), Lagankhel (142), Gorkha Bazar (6), Barpak (6), Dhading Besi with district health office (8).

Meanwhile, 13 other countries have set up mobile medical camps or field hospitals in various places.

On May 2, the Nepal home ministry stated: A total of 3,169 people, including medical and relief and rescue personnel from 28 countries are helping ongoing efforts in Nepal: India (962) China (370), Pakistan (87), Sri Lanka (140), Turkey (79), Bangladesh (17), Israel (286), Netherlands (62), Bhutan (62), Poland (81), US (94), Japan (98), Malaysia (47), France (47), Spain (9), Korea (14), Singapore (106), Thailand (54), Belgium (42), Russia (87), Norway (37), Britain (145), Canada (10), Germany (52), UAE (29), Jordan (23), Sweden (72) and Indonesia (57).