Quake death reaches 2,000

Kathmandu, Apr. 26, 2015: 

(Published in The Rising Nepal) 

The number of casualties in the deadly earthquake reached 2000 by the Sunday evening while at least 4655 people who sustained injuries during the tremor are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. The death toll continues to swell as the rescue operations continue.

Thousands of houses, hundreds of schools, hospitals and cultural monuments were destroyed by the jolt. Most of the houses have turned to dust in the hill districts like Gorkha, the epicenter of the first quake, Dhading, Gulmi, Palpa, Kaski and many others.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, more than a billion rupees would require to reconstruct the demolished infrastructures and settlements in each district while it is too early to speculate the amount of losses in the Kathmandu valley. All the schools and colleges are shut down for indefinite period.

All the hospitals in the Kathmandu valley, Bharatpur, Gorkha, Butwal, Dhading and Kavre are filled with injured people.

Hospitals had called all of their doctors, medical teams and support services and began the treatment right after the first hit of the quake.

Major hospitals in the valley like Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Bir Hospital, B and B, Patan and others have use hospital passages, premises and adjacent open space to treat the wounded people. 

 The quake on Saturday afternoon and its aftershocks that shook the nations till late afternoon Sunday, instilled terror in people causing them flee their homes and businesses.

Another massive jolt was felt on sunday afternoon around 1:05 that was measured 6.9 in Richter Scale.

Almost all Nepalese were out of their homes on Sunday night.

They set up tent in every open area in the Kathmandu valley including Tundikhel, Tribhuvan Univerity ground and Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur, school and college grounds, gardens in the city.

Even tourists left their hotels in Thamel area in search of safer place just to find shelter in the compound of Social Welfare Council and other open areas in the surrounding.

PM urged for national Unity

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala urged for national unity and unified effort in the time of national crisis. PM Koirala, who cut short his Bandung visit by 2 days, arrived Kathmandu on Sunday afternoon owing to the devastation caused by the earthquake that had epicenter in Gorkha district and measured 7.9 in the Richter Scale.

He directly reached the Ministry of Home Affairs from the Tribhuvan International Airport to address a press conference.

PM Koirala praised the role of government agencies, private sector, civil society organizations and other stakeholders who are putting their efforts in rescue and relief operations across the nation while he urged for more blood donations programs so that blood shortage wouldn't hit when it is most necessary.

"We are expecting more positive role and coordination from all the stakeholders in this situation of emergency," he said.

PM Koirala also informed that the prime ministers and head of the state from Bharat, Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka and other neighbours had offered to help Nepalese people.

Private Sector started relief efforts

Leading private sector organizations of Nepal, Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) and Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) have started relief efforts since Sunday morning.

Although some private sector companies and institutions started to assist the rescue an relief efforts the day before, the three leading organizations have decided to initiate institutional endeavors to help the people hit hard by the tremor.

President of NCC, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha informed that private sector organizations are distributing water, tent and other necessary materials to those who have lost their home in the quake.

Officiating president of FNCCI, Pashupati Murarka said, "We are collecting the food items. But, due to problem in mobile network it is difficult to contact the suppliers. Nevertheless, we handed over 1000 cases of noodles and 2000 bottle drinking water to the Ministry of Home Affairs."

According to him the tremor in the afternoon today disturbed the meeting where private sector representatives were gathered to discuss the way and methods of assisting the government and people in the time of crisis.

We have urged our friends to open the shops and restaurants so that people could get food items at ease, he said.