U.S. Military Wraps Up Relief Effort for Nepal Earthquake
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Version 0 of 1. KATHMANDU, Nepal — United States military personnel who had been assisting earthquake relief and rescue efforts in Nepal began leaving on Thursday, the Nepalese Army said. The first group left Nepal on four Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, while the remaining personnel and helicopters will leave in a few days. About 300 American service members joined the humanitarian aid effort in Nepal after the devastating April 25 earthquake, delivering over 110 tons of emergency relief supplies, evacuating 63 victims and transporting 534 Nepalis to safer ground, the United States Defense Department said in a statement. The magnitude 7.8 quake and a subsequent magnitude 7.3 earthquake on May 12 killed more than 8,600 people. Six United States Marines and two Nepalese soldiers were killed when the UH-1Y Huey helicopter they were in crashed near the village of Charikot, east of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, while on a relief mission. The area had been hit hard by a second earthquake, an aftershock with a magnitude of 7.3, on May 12. “Our unending respect remains with the U.S. for their dedication in answering the call after the damaging quake and recognizes the immense support extended,” the Nepalese Army said in a statement. |