Ten irish people still to make contact with authorities following earthquake in nepal

Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan has said ten Irish citizens have yet to be contacted in Nepal.

Speaking in Dublin, Minister Flanagan said “the Consular Response Team in my Department is now tracking the cases of some 150 Irish citizens who were believed to have been in Nepal at the time of the earthquake.  The vast majority of these citizens have now been accounted for and are safe and well. However, our experienced Consular Response Team will continue to work actively with our Embassy in New Delhi to trace everyone as soon as possible.

“There are currently ten citizens on the Department’s list with whom contact has yet to be made. Some of these people may be in remote areas where communications would be sporadic at the best of times, which means it is taking time to formally account for all Irish citizens. There are no suggestions at this stage of any Irish fatalities. One Irish citizen has been injured but is stable, and is due to be medevac’d when flight clearance permits.”

“Of the other citizens on our list, some have already left the area, and others have booked flights out over the next few days. My officials are coordinating closely with EU colleagues, including those with Embassies on the ground. Commercial flights are operating out of Kathmandu so, in common with our EU partners, we are advising citizens who wish to leave to make arrangements to do so by commercial means.”

The Department’s expert Consular Response team will remain in place for as long as necessary to assist citizens who may be affected and their families. The team can be contacted on 01 418 0200.

Minister Flanagan and Minister of State Seán Sherlock approved support of up to €1 million for the humanitarian response in Nepal yesterday. Irish Aid is working to respond to the needs of those most affected through the Emergency Response Fund Scheme for Irish Aid NGO partners on the ground in Nepal and through the Irish Aid Rapid Response Initiative.