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Rescuers rush to help victims of the devestating earthquake in Nepal - April 25, 2015

Rescuers rush to help victims of the devestating earthquake in Nepal – April 25, 2015 – courtesy Huffington Post Canada

April 25, 2015: Kathmandu, Nepal – A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the densely populated Kathmandu Valley in Nepal earlier today, killing thousands, and injuring thousands more. It is being recorded as the worst earthquake to hit the country in more than 80 years*, and the death toll continues to rise.

The quake cut off power and left entire homes, temples, and other structures in the area completely destroyed. Hospitals are at their capacity and many people have been forced to take to the streets, left with little or no means of communication.  Devastation from this disaster, which has been considered 16 times more powerful than the quake that shook Haiti in 2010*, has also shook the neighbouring countries of India and Bangladesh.

Nepal’s mountainous terrain will make relief efforts more challenging, and the full extent of destruction will only be known once rural areas outside Kathmandu can be reached.

CMAT has mobilized its assessment team which will be departing for Nepal shortly.  Depending on assessment findings, a call for volunteers may be placed for further support.

Help CMAT provide medical assistance for the Nepali people at this devastating time, when they are most at risk. Donate now, so that together, we can save lives.

Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!

CMAT is also collecting Air Canada Aeroplan miles to help offset the costs of volunteer flights.  You can donate your aeroplan miles here:

AeroplanBeyondMilesLogo

*Source: CBC
CMAT's Field clinic in Ormoc City, Leyte.

CMAT’s Field clinic in Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines – November 2013.

Update from CMAT Assessment Team and Medical Team 1 – Ormoc City – Near City Hall

The CMAT teams are based near City Hall in Ormoc City. As you may have been following on our social media, there was a delay getting our field hospital released from customs, and so it only arrived in Ormoc late last night.  This has not slowed down the team one bit. Yesterday they report seeing over 200 patients.

Read more

CMAT Medical Team 1 arrives in Cebu. L-R Back Row: Dr. Rene Bollozos, Justin Law, Janice Stirling, Lydia Chang, Brandon Duncan, Dr. Rashad Chin, Kim Cossitt, Christina Coambs, Michael Parker.  L-R Front Row: Tanya Correa, Kate Auger, Teresa Berdusco, Beverley Parker.  Absent: Lesley Eltom.

CMAT Medical Team 1 arrives in Cebu. L-R Back Row: Dr. Rene Bollozos, Justin Law, Janice Stirling, Lydia Chang, Brandon Duncan, Dr. Rashad Chin, Kim Cossitt, Christina Coambs, Michael Parker.
L-R Front Row: Tanya Correa, Kate Auger, Teresa Berdusco, Beverley Parker. Absent: Lesley Eltom.

As Team 1 has now arrived in the Philippines and will be getting up and running any time now, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their generous donations. We truly could not do this without your support – both monetarily and through the donation of Aeroplan miles. In fact, we have 10 more days to hit 500,000 miles donated so Aeroplan will match them. If you’ve already donated – a huge thank you. If you haven’t, please consider donating as part of the Beyond Miles Aeroplan Campaign. For more information, you can visit: http://beyondmiles.aeroplan.com/eng/charity/252.

You can also donate through our website or through the CanadaHelps website at: https://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?charityID=s98486

Please know that CMAT is a registered charity that qualifies for the federal government matching of donations to the Philippines. Quite simply, every dollar you donate will be matched by the Canadian government. You can search for us here: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/lstngs/menu-eng.html

Once again, thank you for your support. It has made and will continue to make a real difference in the lives of thousands of people in the Philippines.

Team 1 has landed in Cebu. Their cargo was delayed in Manila, but will be delivered later today. The team is now making their way to Ormoc, where they will get some sleep while they wait for the field hospital to arrive by military airlift.