Littleborough doctor Katie Williams in Nepal helping with the aftermath of the earthquake

Photo: Katie Williams

Littleborough doctor Katie Williams in Nepal helping with the aftermath of the earthquake

Katie Williams, from Littleborough, is currently in Nepal helping with the aftermath of the earthquake.

Katie, a former Wardle High student, qualified as a doctor in 2008 and went to the country for the seventh time in February and has been working as a volunteer doctor with the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA).

During her time in Nepal, Katie has been helped trekkers, looking after people who are showing symptoms of altitude sickness and has been looking after some of the local people when necessary.

In a blog written by Katie she describes being woken up at 5am to the room shaking. Seventeen hours after the initial earthquake on Saturday 25 April, aftershocks were still being experienced.

Describing the day of the earthquake, Katie said: “The ground was swaying – it was so surreal, the senses completely dumbfounded as we were simultaneously trying to comprehend and anticipate what might happen next.

“The noise - a kind of unsettling creaking and moaning will stick with me forever. It was like being trapped in a zone – your senses on edge, trying to compute. What was happening? And then reality - the screams as surrounding lodges started to collapse. Not in total, but rocks collapsed out of the weaker structures. The puppies fled for safety. We looked at each other for answers. And then it was over. We had been hit by an earthquake.”

Since the earthquake struck, Katie has been part of a large team effort to help those affected.

In her blog, Katie describes the start of a mass casualty evacuation. She said: “Still processing, the helicopter pilot explained that he would be bringing 51 critically injured climbers to Pheriche as quickly as possible whilst the weather window held. This was way beyond any of our expectations and though we had anticipated being busy, we had no idea we would be staging a mass casualty evacuation and receiving every injured climber from EBC.”

Katie’s contract with the Himalayan Rescue Association ends on 31 May but it is currently unclear when she will be able to return home.

Speaking to Rochdale Online, Katie’s mum, Sue Williams said: “We are very proud of her but that will all come when she gets home. We are still worried and still have that anxiety at the minute. We do know she is safe though so that is the main thing.”

Katie’s full and detailed blog can be read at:

https://mountainsandadventures.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/tragedy-strikes-on-everest-again-the-aftermath-of-the-nepali-earthquake/