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A fresh travel industry appeal for aid for Nepal was issued last night following a second major earthquake to hit the country in less than a month.
The Travel Corporation and its not-for-profit arm The TreadRight Foundation have come together with the global travel and tourism community to assist in recovery efforts.
They have donated $20,000 to the collaborative efforts between the Nepal tourism industry and other aid agencies in the wake of Tuesday’s 7.3 magnitude quake which killed at least 65 people and left almost 2,000 injured.
A further $30,000 has been earmarked for rebuilding efforts after the initial relief efforts. Current plans include the rebuilding of schools.
Thousands of Nepalis reportedly spent the night in the open. Many have not returned to their homes since a 7.8 magnitude quake on April 25 that killed more than 8,000.
At least 17 people also died in India due to the severity of yesterday’s earthquake, centred 47 miles east of the capital of Kathmandu.
A second 6.3 magnitude tremor hit Nepal 30 minutes later while aftershocks were reported to be continuing into this morning.
Northern India, Tibet and Bangladesh felt the impact of the main quake
“The epicentre was in a rural area near Mount Everest,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said. “The level of damage is not yet clear but aftershocks continue and there’s a risk of more, as well as an increased risk of further landslides and avalanches in the mountains.
“You should follow any advice provided by the local authorities. If you’re in a place of safety you should remain there.
“If you can leave Nepal safely then you should do so. If you’re in the Lukla area you should leave now on a commercial flight.”
The Travel Corporation chief executive and president, Brett Tollman, said: “In difficult times like these, it is important for the global travel and tourism industry to come together.
“The tourism sector plays an important role in Nepal’s economy, as such, our industry is in a position to leverage our contributions in order to assist with immediate recovery as well as long term support.”
The joint effort will provide financial investments to support the local tourism industry, including community-based tourism projects and social enterprises, so that Nepal tourism can recover in the long term.
The importance of this support and long-term rebuilding has become that much more important in light of the second quake.