A PARAMEDIC has issued a plea to help Nepal after devastating floods which have left thousands of people dead or missing.
Phil Llewellyn, a paramedic based in Worcester, has leapt into action in the hopes of helping victims of future disasters.
On Wednesday, August 26, flash floods swept through the country’s Rasuwa district and parts of Tibet.
More than 1,200 people have died, with more than 5,000 still missing. Searches remain underway and humanitarian efforts have been launched to support communities where homes and infrastructure have been destroyed.
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‘Monumental’ scale
Mr Llewellyn runs a non-profit organisation called Rebuild Nepal, having visited the country to help earthquake victims in 2015.
“The scale of this event is monumental,” he said.
“It is a rare thing. Nepal is tectonically unstable so it is prone to earthquakes and landslides but this is on a different level.”
He fears that those who are missing may not be found due to the rural location and landscape, which includes areas that are difficult to access.
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Fundraiser launched
The paramedic, alongside friend and disaster management expert Dr Komal Aryal, he has launched a fundraising effort to provide more equipment and training, namely drones and trained pilots.
“I decided I need to do something,” he said. “Going over wasn’t viable and it’s more of a body recovery operation now.
HELP: Paramedic Phil Llewellyn is supporting Nepal after the devastating floods (Image: Phil Llewellyn)
“Nepal has received lots of aid from aid agencies globally but distribution is hampered due to the terrain and the destroyed infrastructure.”
Due to the country’s susceptibility to disasters, which Mr Llewellyn said are likely to increase in number, he hopes that the new technology will make future rescue operations more straightforward.
The fundraiser, which has a target of £5,000, has already amassed more than £1,800 in donations from 80 supporters.