UN preparing 'massive' aid operation in quake-hit Nepal
The UN food agency said Monday it was preparing a large-scale aid operation to earthquake-ravaged Nepal, with a first plane set to arrive Tuesday, AFP reported.
"This will be a large, massive operation," Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the U.N.'s World Food Program, told AFP.
Officials say more than 3,500 people are now known to have died, including 3,432 in Nepal - making it the quake-prone Himalayan nation's deadliest disaster in more than 80 years.
The United Nations is gearing up to launch an emergency appeal for aid for the region.
WFP experts arrived in Kathmandu Sunday to evaluate the needs, and the agency estimates shelter and medical equipment should be the first priority.
The World Health Organization said Monday it had already distributed medical supplies to cover the health needs of more than 40,000 people for three months in the country.