Helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) sent by Indian government have been deployed to deliver immediate relief materials to quake affected locals of Barpak and neighboring areas of Gorkha.According to a source, IAF's choppers cannot land in difficult terrain and neither can it ferry more than five-six quintals of goods.
Had big choppers been used, relief materials could have reached to the victims on time, the source claimed.
With Pokhara airport as its base, a total of seven helicopters belonging to AIF were flown to the affected Gorkha district and adjoining areas. However, only two of them had the capacity to carry two tons of relief materials. According to the rescuers, lack of big helicopters has delayed the response to the earthquake victims in the remote areas.
Meanwhile, Ramji Koirala, an officer at the Regional Administration Office, Pokhara said that relief materials could not be airlifted to the affected areas of Gorkha district due to bad weather conditions. "Following the April 25 earthquake, the weather conditions have remained averse," he said. "Weather conditions did not favor us and we could not fly the helicopters."
According to him, relief materials meant for quake affected people in Gorkha have been piling up in Pokhara. Locals of Gorkha said although human casualty is not so huge in some of the areas, properties including houses have been completely damaged.
Koirala said rescue works have already been completed in Barpak and adjoining areas. He said they have begun rescue and relief works in Mansalu areas.
Bishweshwor Acharya, a member of relief distribution team for Gorkha, told Republica that relief materials have yet to be supplied to the mountain areas of Gorkha.
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