Betrawati Bazaar after earthquake: No roads, only air supply possible

Now I'm standing over Betrawati Bazaar again, which has been completely destroyed. You can still see how difficult this area is to reach. There is nothing left, there are no roads, and there is no way to get here by land. And that is a massive problem for the numerous helpers, the emergency services and the numerous non-governmental organizations that will now gradually supply the area with urgently needed relief supplies.

On the Chinese side, a different picture emerges: If the footage on Chinese state television is to be believed, a road is being built at high speed to reach the area. The work is apparently progressing very quickly.

It's not the case here yet. There is only this alternative road, where vehicles are already jammed up early in the morning. The journey to Kathmandu takes around twelve hours - for a route that could previously be covered in around three hours.

The challenge will be to build a road in the valley floor as quickly as possible in the next few days to supply the areas here so that we are no longer dependent on the air, i.e. on the helicopters. The government will definitely have to get help from outside. Because the conditions are very difficult. There is still a lot of water and mud in the valley bed. It is also possible that there could be another flood. That is why this is a major challenge that must now be addressed in the next few days.