Two women, man found alive eight days after earthquake, as customs clearance becomes problem for relief work

Nepal police officer said three survivors had been rescued in north-eastern Nepal on Sunday, eight days after an earthquake hit the Himalayan country.

Ram-Bahadur Nepali, a police officer in the North-Eastern District of Sindhupalchowk, had identified the survivors as Kanchan Khatri, Gyan-Kumari Khatri and Dhan- Kumari Khatri.

He said that they were rescued by security forces on Sunday at Kerabari Village in the Syauli Area.

Nepali said two of them were buried under a collapsed mud house, while one was pulled from under the earth after being swept by a landslide triggered by the earthquake.

He said they had been evacuated and taken to the district hospital.

Meanwhile, some people involved in relief distribution, had said that the delays in getting customs service clearance in Nepal was hindering their aid efforts.

An Indian woman who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the airport authorities were not organised, as they were not giving clearance to a lot of people willing to donate items.

She said many donors had left in annoyance because of the uncooperative attitudes of the customs’ officials at the airport in Nepal.

“I’m going back to Kolkata today, where I have bought three hundred tarpaulins that I want to send to Nepal, but they are not giving customs’ clearance at the airport,” she said.

“There are lots of stuffs sent by my friends that’s stuck at the airport, but the customs’ department is not giving clearance and they aren’t even explaining what to do properly,’’ she added.

She said that this was not time for red tape , but time to get things out there to the people and save lives.