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Or Asraf

Search continues for Or Asraf amid worsening conditions

Bodies of 50 people, including foreign trekkers, pulled out of Rasuwa district, not far from where Asraf went missing; Israeli search teams report of rivers overflowed with mud and rocks in area: 'It looks like the end of the world here'.

Searches for Or Asraf, the 22-year old Israeli who is missing in Nepal were continuing on Sunday as concern grew over his fate.

 

 

A Nepali police team pulled out the bodies of about 50 people on Sunday, including some foreign trekkers in the northern district of Rasuwa, not far from the Langtang region where Asraf went missing.

 

None of the bodies have been identified, said Pravin Pokharel, deputy superintendent of police in the northern district of Rasuwa. Pokharel, who led the police team, said the bodies were pulled out on Saturday, a week after the earthquake, and rescuers would return to the remote area on Sunday.

 

Patrick and Or Asraf
Patrick and Or Asraf

 

At least 200 other people are still missing in the area, including villagers and trekkers, said Uddhav Bhattarai, the seniormost bureaucrat in the district.

 

"We had not been able to reach the area earlier because of rains and cloudy weather," he said by telephone.

 

The Israeli rescue teams reported on Saturday worsening conditions in the Langtang region with rivers overflowing with mud and rocks, amid fears that Asraf might have been buried under debris caused by an avalanche. "It looks like the end of the world here," members of the rescue team in the area said.

 

On Sunday, the Israeli rescue team will formulate a plan of action for the continued search efforts. Despite the grim circumstances, members of Asraf's family refuse to lose hope. "I am not going anywhere until I find him," his father, Patrick, said on Saturday evening, who tagged along on the rescue chopper with his son's friends.

 

Officials in Nepal say the death toll from last weekend's massive earthquake has climbed past 7,000.

 

 

Israeli rescue teams prepare for day of searches (Photo: Flyeast Nepal) (Photo: Flyeast Nepal)
Israeli rescue teams prepare for day of searches (Photo: Flyeast Nepal)

 

Nepal's Home Ministry official Laxmi Dhakal says hopes of finding any more survivors are fading away as more than a week has passed since the massive earthquake.

 

He says: "Unless they were caught in an air pocket, there is not much possibility."

 

In the past week, many survivors have been pulled out of the wreckage of destroyed buildings, but no one has been rescued since Thursday, leading the Nepalese government to announce on Saturday that hopes were slim of finding any more survivors among the ruins.

 

However, the Asraf family noted that a Dutch tourist was discovered safe and sound two days ago in the Langtang area where their son disappeared.

 

US military aircraft and personnel were due to arrive in Nepal on Sunday, a day later than expected, to help ferry relief supplies to stricken areas outside the capital Kathmandu, a US Marines spokeswoman said.

 

Damage caused by earthquake (Photo: AFP) (Photo: AFP)
Damage caused by earthquake (Photo: AFP)

 

Marine Brigadier General Paul Kennedy has said the delayed U.S. contingent included at least 100 U.S. soldiers, lifting equipment and six military aircraft, two of them helicopters.

 

The team arrives as criticism mounted over a pile-up of relief material at Kathmandu airport, the only international gateway to the Himalayan nation, because of customs inspections.

 

United Nations Resident Representative Jamie McGoldrick said the government must loosen its normal customs restrictions to deal with the increasing flow of relief material pouring in from abroad.

 

But the government, complaining it has received unneeded supplies such as tuna and mayonnaise, insisted its customs agents had to check all emergency shipments.

 

"They should not be using peacetime customs methodology," the UN's McGoldrick said. Instead, he argued, all relief material should get a blanket exemption from checks on arrival.

 

Kennedy also warned against bottlenecks at Kathmandu airport, saying: "What you don't want to do is build up a mountain of supplies" that block space for planes or more supplies.

 

Nepal lifted import taxes on tarpaulins and tents on Friday but a home ministry spokesman, Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, said all goods coming in from overseas had to be inspected. "This is something we need to do," he said.

 

Photo: Itay Blumenthal (Photo: Itay Blumenthal)
Photo: Itay Blumenthal

 

Nepali government officials have said efforts to step up the pace of delivery of relief material to remote areas were also frustrated by a shortage of supply trucks and drivers, many of whom had returned to their villages to help their families.

 

"Our granaries are full and we have ample food stock, but we are not able to transport supplies at a faster pace," said Shrimani Raj Khanal, a manager at the Nepal Food Corp.

 

Army helicopters have air-dropped instant noodles and biscuits to remote communities but people need rice and other ingredients to cook a proper meal, he said.

 

Reuters, Itamar Eichner and Ilana Curiel contributed to this report.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.03.15, 09:14
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