BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Jericho Road Community Health Center, a Buffalo-based organization that provides healthcare to immigrants and low-income residents, is working to respond to catastrophic flooding in Nepal that struck Wednesday.
The west side Buffalo health center opened a clinic in 2022 in Hagam, a small village in Nepal, serving many patients who once lived in refugee camps there. The clinic sits less than 40 miles from the disaster zone.
Dr. Myron Glick, the founder and a family doctor at Jericho Road, described the scope of the crisis.
"This is a humanitarian crisis. Of a proportion in a fashion that we haven't seen," Glick said.
All staff at the Hagam clinic are safe, but some have lost family members in the flooding. Medical Director Amos Rai said the team's focus is clear.
"Our main concern is to First aid and treatments," Rai said.
Rai said road damage is preventing the team from reaching those in need.
"There is no way to go any transportation by road. It's already blocked and some of the trees are already broken, so it's only possible to do by another helicopter," Rai said.
WATCH: Clinic in Nepal with WNY roots prepares to help Nepal flood victims
Purna Tamang, who helped Jericho Road establish the Nepal clinic and now runs his own disaster relief organization called Love the Lost, said he has been receiving videos from pastors on the ground in Nepal.
"My heart is broken and I feel my heart is saddened. And I wish I could fly there and rescue the survival and then," Tamang said.
Tamang described what the videos showed.
"Mind blowing and heart touching, and many, many people were saddened because of this huge, huge, uh, I should say monster, a disaster," Tamang said.
Tamang said he knows of at least a dozen pastors reported missing since the flooding hit Wednesday. He warned the crisis is far from over.
"This is just not an end. This is just the beginning," Tamang said.
Tamang asked Western New Yorkers to pray for Nepal and help in any way they can.
Donations can be sent to Jericho Road Community Health Center.
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