On the Ground in Nepal and the Philippines

This post was written in September 2015 by Niki Clark, a member of the American Red Cross’s international communications team who was deployed to Nepal following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the country in April. I am boarding a plane to Tacloban—a city on the island of Leyte, in the Philippines. It’s one of those small aircraft that you have to walk out on the runway to embark. When I land, just an hour and a half later, I am overwhelmed by the colors, a setting sun on crystal blue waters. The airport is tiny, and we are welcomed by a band of greeters singing in the local dialect. The airport in Kathmandu, Nepal—from where I just arrived—is also small, filled with local characters. Like Tacloban, it also boasts an amazing view. I have this unique opportunity to visit two countries that are in very different post-disaster stages: Nepal four months after an earthquake and the Philippines nearly two years after a Category 5 typhoon. I’ve been gone most of the summer, leaving the hustle and bustle of D.C. for Nepal, where I was working in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that struck there in April and May. Then, straight to the Philippines to gather stories about how people are recovering from Typhoon Haiyan, which struck nearly two years ago. It’s a fascinating perspective to have, four months vs. two years. In Nepal, the emergency phase is now transitioning to recovery; long-term staff replacing emergency disaster specialists; Red Cross fie...
Source: Red Cross Chat - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Disaster Response International earthquake nepal philippines travel Typhoon Haiyan Source Type: news