It feels a long time ago now since we left the UK and the 4-hours per night sleep is definitely catching up! As the rescue mission is now over, the focus is switching to the massive humanitarian efforts that will be needed.
We have been using helicopters to access remote villages, some now completely cut off from the outside world by landslides. When we land, we can be overwhelmed by villagers as the first rescue teams they've seen.
The breathtaking natural beauty of the Himalayas is awe inspiring from the air but the overwhelming, destructive power of mother nature seen on the ground. We were forced to land in the middle of a landslide today and trek to the village. The resilience, friendship and tenacity of the Nepalis is staggering - they smile in the face of disaster and offer us food they don't have. In a village of 2,000 people today, every single house was flattened. 4 shepherds had vanished when half the mountain slid, entombing them in earth.
We completed detailed UN Health Assessments and carved a helipad into the hillside to allow vital follow-up relief air drops. With our limited kit, we treated the injuries we could, calling in an extra flight to medevac a 4-year old girl with femoral fracture, taking her directly to the Israeli Field Hospital. Paediatric care is in high demand and have been asked to help out with several critical operative procedures in remote mountain medical tents.
We had short, but wonderful, moment of laughter and smiles at my pathetic attempts to give instructions in Nepalese on how to take paracetamol! I don't think I'll be speaking Nepali anytime soon!
Hopefully we'll be getting back to the UK later this week. Thanks so much for all the messages - much appreciated and looking forward to catching up soon,
Dr Richard Lyon
Richard is an Emergency Medicine consultant from Edinburgh and is part of UK International Search & Rescue Team (ISAR) of 67 firemen, rescue experts, dog handlers, engineers and medics. His role as an ISAR team doctor is to provide full medical support to our team, provide emergency care for rescued casualties and assist with humanitarian care.