Facebook Launches Donate Feature To Support The Nepal Earthquake Survivors, Nepal's PM Sushil Koirala Says Death Toll Could Reach 10000
Facebook has launched a Donate feature to support the survivors of the earthquake in Nepal.
According to Facebook Newsroom, starting April 27, Facebook users will see a message at the top of their News Feed to donate to International Medical Corps (IMC) to support the organization's relief efforts on the ground.
"Starting today, people on Facebook will see a message at the top of the News Feed with an option to donate to International Medical Corps, which has emergency response teams operating mobile medical units to deliver critically needed medical care and medicines to the regions hardest hit by the earthquake," it said.
To donate, Facebook users can use the Donate feature, which can directly lend support to IMC and lets the user decide how much amount they are about to donate.
Facebook added that they will also donate $2 million to local relief efforts.
Aside from the Donate feature, the Safety Check has been activated on April 25, in parts of Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan, to let people be informed if someone they know has been marked safe.
The earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 7.8, struck Nepal on April 25 and has been considered as the strongest earthquake in the region in more than 80 years.
The Guardian reported that on April 28, at around 07:54 BST, Nepal's Prime Minister Sushil Koirala stated that the number killed in the earthquake could more than double to 10,000 people. Koirala also appealed help for medicines, supplies, and tents.
Furthermore, Dibya Raj Prasai, a ranking officer from the Nepalese Army, told Devex that the government and other stakeholders did not expect the extent of the earthquake.
"There is absolutely no doubt that both governments have completely been caught off guard," he said. "This incident is an eye opener for everybody. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we provide a sustainable society."
