Families of West Midlands people caught in Nepal earthquake relieved to make contact with loved ones

The quake, which had a magnitude of 7.8, struck before noon on Saturday and was the worst to hit the South Asian nation in more than 80 years. The death toll currently stands at 4,000 but is expected to rise further.

Firefighters and paramedics from the West Midlands have gone to Nepal to help in the rescue operation after the devastating earthquake.

Nine West Midlands Fire Service firefighters have been deployed there, as well as three West Midlands Ambulance Service staff.

Paramedic Simon Greenfield from Oldbury was due to fly out yesterday with Humanity First Medical, which provides teams to disaster zones.

Medical incident officer Dr Malcolm Russell, based as an emergency doctor in Herefordshire, and Stoke-based paramedic Steve Watkins have also flown to Nepal as part of the international rescue effort.

West Midlands Ambulance Service chief executive Anthony Marsh said: "Our good wishes go with all three of them as they go into what will undoubtedly be an horrific scene.

"They will, as part of the relief effort, be able to provide invaluable assistance to local communities in the stricken areas.

"As a trust we are pleased to be able to release these staff, who have specialist training, to be part of these organised humanitarian response teams."

The West Midlands contingent have taken heavy rescue equipment and will lead the co-ordination of the UK response on the ground, including vital communications, transport and IT support.

Chief fire officer Phil Loach said: "We are proud to have highly-professional firefighters willing and able to help and support the Nepalese people in this time of disaster.

Among the Britons caught up in the disaster were Evan Mark Williams from Codsall, Gareth Douglas from Bridgnorth and former Wolverhampton Girls' High student Rosie Hazeldine.

Mr Williams, who is known as Mark, grew up in the South Staffordshire village but now lives in London. He was taking part in a trekking exhibition when the earthquake struck and his sister Jane Williams, of Solihull, said it had been an anxious wait for news, with close to 48 hours passing before he was able to contact them.

"We knew he had probably been walking for between four to five hours before the earthquake would have hit and the area would have undoubtedly been terribly affected," said Jane.

As more and more news came out of Nepal, with no word from Mark, the Williams family became 'incredibly anxious as time went by'.

"We were obviously making strenuous efforts ourselves to try and track him down," Jane continued. "I don't think anyone slept that night."

But at about 6am yesterday morning, the mobile phone started ringing - Mr Williams and a small party had made it back to Thame safely.

"There was an overwhelming sense of relief," added Jane.

It is not yet known when he will be able to return home and the family are 'taking it day by day'.

Friends of former Wolverhampton Girls' High School head girl Rosie also shared their joy and relief online after hearing she is safe.

The 18-year-old is teaching at a school in Okhreni, a small mountain village in Nepal, and has been there since August last year as part of the Project Trust volunteering programme.

The not-for-profit organisation confirmed yesterday all 10 of its volunteers in Nepal are safe and accounted for.

Ingrid Emerson MBE, chief executive, said: "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely, and will keep in regular contact with our volunteers, and our representative in Nepal. Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones in this tragic event."

Meanwhile, mountaineer Gareth Douglas, who became trapped at a camp on Mount Everest following the devastating earthquake, is still stranded, his father said.

Mr Douglas, aged 37, from Bridgnorth, was at Everest's north base camp when the quake hit and described how rocks 'the size of cars' came crashing down within 1,000ft of him.

His father Steve, who lives in Albrighton, said he had a 20-minute telephone conversation with him yesterday and had also been communicating by email.

He said his son was calm about the situation, and was just waiting for news about when they would be able to leave.

"Gareth told me to stress that they have been very lucky, they consider themselves very lucky they weren't on the mountain when it happened," he said.

"They are much better off in base camp north, than those at the south camp," said Mr Douglas.

"They are looking at ways of getting out of base camp, but at the moment they are still stuck there.

"They are going to have to try to come out through China."

Mr Douglas said it was not yet known whether the Gareth and his fellow climbers would be able to leave the camp by themselves, or would need to be assisted by the rescue services.

A major appeal is being launched today by 13 leading UK Aid agencies to help survivors of the devastating quake.

Money raised by the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal will support the efforts of DEC members to reach families affected.

More than five million people are living in areas hit by severe shaking, and aftershocks have been felt in remote villages which are yet to be reached, cut-off by landslides and communications wiped out.

The first £5 million of public donations to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal will be matched by UK aid through the Department for International Development.

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: "The sheer scale of this emergency and the effort required to help the people of Nepal recover is only now becoming clear.

"Survivors are in need of medical help, food, water and shelter. In many cases they've lost everything and our members are ready to help them not just survive but to rebuild their lives."

To make a donation to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal visit http://www.dec.org.uk, call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office, or send a cheque.

You can also donate £5 by texting the word SUPPORT to 70000.