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RAF flight to take more personnel and humanitarian aid in response to the earthquake.

A Royal Air Force C-17 flight will carry vital UK aid stocks to Nepal, including more than 1,100 shelter kits and over 1,700 solar lanterns, along with a team of Gurkha engineers, International Development Secretary, Justine Greening announced yesterday.

The shelter kits consist of plastic sheeting, rope and rope tensioners which will each keep a family of five sheltered from increasingly wet weather in Nepal. The solar lanterns provide lighting and a means of charging phones, radios and torches.

Ms Greening also announced that the UK Government will match the first £5 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee Earthquake Appeal.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

A swift and effective UK response to the Nepal earthquake means help is already reaching all those affected by this terrible disaster. But as the devastating scale of the crisis becomes clearer, we are stepping up our efforts.

In Nepal, vulnerable people are sleeping out in the open, their homes destroyed. An RAF C-17 loaded with humanitarian supplies, vital shelter kits, and Gurkha engineers is being deployed, to help thousands of people affected by the disaster.

Here in the UK, I know many people will have watched their television screens with horror, and want to help. By committing to match pound-for-pound public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee Earthquake Appeal, we will make sure the public’s generosity has an even bigger impact on the ground, and help the fantastic charities on the ground do an even better job.

This is the latest step in the UK’s response to the earthquake in Nepal, which includes:

• a £5 million package of UK support, including £3 million released under the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) so partners can address immediate needs on the ground and £2 million for the British Red Cross;
• the deployment of eight disaster response specialists from the UK, as well as a team of search and rescue responders and medical experts; and
• consular assistance to British nationals who have been caught up in this disaster and a crisis hotline for those concerned about friends or family.

Notes to editors

1. The UK Government is providing consular assistance to British nationals who have been caught in this disaster.
2. Anyone who is caught up in this incident or worried about a loved one should call the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on +44 (0) 207 008 0000.