FIREFIGHTERS from the Black Country and Birmingham have been deployed to Nepal as part of international search and rescue efforts after the country was hit by devastating earthquakes at the weekend.

Nine West Midlands Fire Service firefighters have jetted off from Stansted airport, near London, last night (Sunday) to help after a quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale struck 80K northwest of the capital Kathmandu on Saturday.

However - heavy air traffic at Kathmandu airport saw them diverted to Delhi where they landed earlier today (Monday April 27) to await further onward travel to the disaster zone in Nepal where thousands are thought to have died with many more still trapped.

Eight have flown out as part of the UK’s International Search and Rescue mission while the ninth is supporting a Non-Government Organisation, also in a search and rescue capacity.

The team have taken with them heavy rescue equipment, and they are set to take the lead on coordinating the UK’s rescue efforts on the ground where they will provide vital communications, transport and IT support.

Phil Loach, the West Midlands’ Chief Fire Officer, said: “We are proud to have highly-professional firefighters willing and able to help and support the Nepalese people in this time of disaster. The thoughts of everyone at West Midlands Fire Service are with the people of Nepal, with our expert team and with everyone supporting the international mission.”

Councillor John Edwards, chairman of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “I am very proud that our excellent firefighters from this specialist team are going to Nepal to support the rescue effort for victims of this terrible tragedy. I wish them a safe deployment.”

West Midlands Fire Service, which has a team of highly-skilled technical experts always on standby in the event of an international disaster, is coordinating the UK’s international search and rescue response in Nepal on behalf of the Department for International Development, which will involve overseeing the movements of nearly 70 personnel who have been deployed.

Three members of staff from West Midlands Ambulance Service, including Oldbury based Hazardous Area Response Team paramedic Simon Greenfield, have also been deployed to help with the humanitarian rescue operation.

Ambulance Trust chief executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “They will, as part of the relief effort, be able to provide invaluable assistance to local communities in the stricken areas.

“We are pleased to be able to release these staff, who have specialist training, to be part of these organised humanitarian response teams.”