Nepal was struck by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on April 25, resulting in the death of thousands of people. The death toll is expected to increase; however, as there are still many people unaccounted for as search and rescue teams continue to dig through rubble to locate the missing.
The earthquake left homes and ancient structures in ruins in the country's capital of Kathmandu, as the country also experienced aftershocks that had strengths registering at 6.6 and 5.1 in magnitude. The tremors of the earthquake were felt as far away as India's New Delhi, which is about 200 miles from Nepal.
The rescue and recovery efforts for the victims of the earthquake are now underway, with many NGOs and charities sending in teams to help those in need. People that are looking to make donations to assist in the efforts have no shortage of options through which to channel their donations.
The Nepal Red Cross Society is at the heart of all the relief operations in the country, and is the most direct way through which people can send in their donations. However, the stability of their website is suspect, possibly due to the traffic that it is experiencing as people are looking to help. If their website is down, people can also send in their donations through the Nepal Earthquake Relief page of the American Red Cross.
Mercy Corps is also working with the Nepal Red Cross Society in distributing essential items such as shelter kits and household supplies. Mercy Corps said that it has 90 staff members in Nepal, some of which lost their homes due to the earthquake themselves.
Doctors Without Borders is aiding in the relief efforts by sending medical supplies and staff to Nepal, including teams that specialize in emergency surgery.
The United Nations Children's Fund is also accepting donations for the victims in Nepal, as it claims that almost 1 million children in the country require help. UNICEF said that it is currently preparing a pair of cargo flights that will airlift 120 tons combined of items such as medical supplies, blankets and tents to Kathmandu.
Donations can also be sent through PayPal, with the online payment company announcing that it will waive all the corresponding money transfer fees for people that will be making donations for the relief efforts in Nepal.
While there are many more options to choose from through which donations can be sent, it is important that people first check the legitimacy of the donation channel. Websites such as Charity Navigator will help users determine legitimate donation websites to make sure that donations will surely reach the relief efforts in Nepal.
