A SOUTHEND doctor has described the appalling conditions he met when he joined a medical team helping out in Nepal after the earthquake.

Dr Aashish Shah, 27, who works at the Spire Wellesley private hospital, was one of 20 south Essex medics who went to help in Nepal.

As well as helping the victims, Dr Shah, who is originally from the striken country, got to visit his family at their Khatmandu home.

His parents and sister were able to tell him about the terrible moment the first quake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, hit. A second quake hit the country on Tuesday, while Dr Shah was still there.

Speaking from Nepal, Dr Shah said: “I have been really busy with the rescue and relief operations in Nepal.

“The entire scenario, post-disaster, is appalling. There are still thousands in desperate need of help.

“My team has been able to reach the most hard-hit areas, helping to provide medical aid, shelter and relief materials to almost 5,000 people.

“We are relentlessly working hard and will continue to do so in the upcoming months.”

The group set up base in the remote Sindhupalchowk region about three and a half hours by road northeast of Kathmandu, where hardly any aid has reached survivors.

Dr Shah said: “The second quake was very bad. I’ve never felt anything like it. I was just back home to see my family for a few hours and it happened.

“People were trying to get themselves back to normal and this has worsened the situation.

We were lucky to have escaped, as we were right at the epicentre of yesterday’s quake. I’m getting news that the place has been devastated again by the quake and disastrous landslides. It’s shocking.”

Dr Shah and the team were due to fly back to the UK at the weekend.

He said: “ The doctors are all safe, but we will continue our work, despite the risks involved.

“We are heading back to the UK on Sunday, but that’s not the end.

“We will continue to restructure our beloved country and bring the people’s lives back to normal.”