Nepal - Earthquake (25 April 2015)
Apr 26th, 2015, 10:36 PM
#21
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Death toll over 3200 now. Heartbreaking. I have students and colleagues with family there; I am anxious to talk with them Monday to see if they have any news of loved ones. What a beautiful country with amazing people.
There are lots of good safe ways to donate; thank you for posting links to the ones you know about.
There are lots of good safe ways to donate; thank you for posting links to the ones you know about.
Apr 27th, 2015, 07:37 AM
#22
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There are finally some reports coming in from outlying areas. Some whole villages were destroyed. The death toll will climb substantially from here. In the outlying villages, no aid is getting through yet, and residents report they are out of food. These villages are remote and difficult to get to in the best of times. The quake has cut off roads in many areas.
Apr 27th, 2015, 11:53 AM
#24
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Another way of giving is to keep your travel plans --Nepal will desperately need all the tourist income it can get. We have a 6 day trip to Kathmandu Valley in early November. On top of our concern and sadness for the Nepalese people, we are very disappointed that many of the sites we planned to visit and I have read about have been destroyed. We have decided, however, to wait and see, that if there is anything left to see but sadness, we want to spend our money there. Since we are flying to KTM through Bangkok, that will be our back up.
The always rising death toll is tragic. I saw the NYT before video that Kathie mentioned and felt sorry for the world in general and us in particular .
The always rising death toll is tragic. I saw the NYT before video that Kathie mentioned and felt sorry for the world in general and us in particular .
Apr 27th, 2015, 12:26 PM
#25
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I agree with cmsraf. Once the crisis is passed, it is important for people to travel to Nepal to help support the locals. Nepal is very reliant on tourism. The reconstruction of the many ruined temples should provide good-paying employment for locals.
Apr 27th, 2015, 05:46 PM
#26
My friend's whole village is gone. Just gone. And the one a couple of valleys away.
Everything they owned, including their cattle & goats - their livelihood.
80 -90 people killed. By miraculous happenstance, my friend, his wife & family were in KTM. And by another stroke of luck, they are all unhurt. Re-building their physical, financial & psychological lives with their lack of resources will be something few of us could even imagine.
They could use a little help & I'm sure we could make quite a difference if we all put our hands in our pockets.
Another friend had just finished leading a trek & was also in KTM. She hopes to fly home to Australia today.
Everything they owned, including their cattle & goats - their livelihood.
80 -90 people killed. By miraculous happenstance, my friend, his wife & family were in KTM. And by another stroke of luck, they are all unhurt. Re-building their physical, financial & psychological lives with their lack of resources will be something few of us could even imagine.
They could use a little help & I'm sure we could make quite a difference if we all put our hands in our pockets.
Another friend had just finished leading a trek & was also in KTM. She hopes to fly home to Australia today.
Apr 27th, 2015, 09:00 PM
#27
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Humanitatian disaster, cultural catastrophe, logistical nightmare.
Will the crisis pass?
There wasn't enough to feed, water and house the locals before the earthquake. Poverty for many was already there out on the streets. Now there's even less, and for the masses they will never benefit from the tourist $$. For the masses all that tourists will do is eat their food and drink their water!
How do you now feed and water the millions? Where will that food and water come from? How will it be shipped in? How will it be distributed?
Many, many of the buildings still standing will be creaking, and many more will tumble as a result of extreme weather conditions. That includes hotels, and once one or two start to collapse then what? Areas like Thamel might need to be condemned.
I had 3 weeks in Kathmandu, and 2 weeks in Pokhara and Bandipur last year. I've seen a lot, but I wasn't prepared for the extent of what a cultural shock Kathmandu is. Much of it already looked like it was recovering from an earthquake! You can't see, smell, hear, touch or taste the place by reading a Guide Book. It deserved it's place as one of the most polluted cities in the world, and now it'll be a whole lot worse.
This story has got a very long way to run, and I doubt whether tourism will be a priority for a long while.
Will the crisis pass?
There wasn't enough to feed, water and house the locals before the earthquake. Poverty for many was already there out on the streets. Now there's even less, and for the masses they will never benefit from the tourist $$. For the masses all that tourists will do is eat their food and drink their water!
How do you now feed and water the millions? Where will that food and water come from? How will it be shipped in? How will it be distributed?
Many, many of the buildings still standing will be creaking, and many more will tumble as a result of extreme weather conditions. That includes hotels, and once one or two start to collapse then what? Areas like Thamel might need to be condemned.
I had 3 weeks in Kathmandu, and 2 weeks in Pokhara and Bandipur last year. I've seen a lot, but I wasn't prepared for the extent of what a cultural shock Kathmandu is. Much of it already looked like it was recovering from an earthquake! You can't see, smell, hear, touch or taste the place by reading a Guide Book. It deserved it's place as one of the most polluted cities in the world, and now it'll be a whole lot worse.
This story has got a very long way to run, and I doubt whether tourism will be a priority for a long while.
Apr 27th, 2015, 10:02 PM
#28
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Looks like Pokhara, at least around Lakeside, survived...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YIwzDCwlgo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YIwzDCwlgo
Apr 27th, 2015, 10:58 PM
#29
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Heart wrenching.Volunteers digging with bare hands and pulling out the dead.The joy of rescue,when a little child is pulled out of the rubble. Sheer hopelessness in the eyes of thousands stranded without food,water or shelter.the scale of this human tragedy is unfathomable.My thoughts & prayers are with them.
2013 saw the Kedarnath flooding,last year it was the turn of the Kashmir valley and now the rumble in Nepal.We hear the same old voices of 'concern'..... 'a disaster waiting to happen' , after it happens
When will the politicians and governments ever wake up.
2013 saw the Kedarnath flooding,last year it was the turn of the Kashmir valley and now the rumble in Nepal.We hear the same old voices of 'concern'..... 'a disaster waiting to happen' , after it happens
When will the politicians and governments ever wake up.
Apr 27th, 2015, 11:09 PM
#30
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Apr 27th, 2015, 11:12 PM
#31
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and this is what I meant..'a nightmare waiting to happen....'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-week-ago.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-week-ago.html
Apr 27th, 2015, 11:26 PM
#32
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Very apt.Well put.Though 'ridden with guilt and helplessness' there is little an untrained bystander can do little and mor often be a liability.
This reminds me of the Dec'94 tsunami which hit the coasts of S. India and Srilanka. The rescue and rehab efforts got even complicated with the presence of volunteers with unwanted goods and perishable food.As much as the intentions were honorable,it turned out more a hindrance.
This reminds me of the Dec'94 tsunami which hit the coasts of S. India and Srilanka. The rescue and rehab efforts got even complicated with the presence of volunteers with unwanted goods and perishable food.As much as the intentions were honorable,it turned out more a hindrance.
Apr 28th, 2015, 06:11 AM
#33
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Current appraisal from a reliable pair of feet on the ground in Kathmandu...
- First two days the situation was somehow manageable. There was still food and water.
- On third day after the quake reality started to hit.
- Restaurants closed, shops closed, no running water, petrol stations dry and closed, so no taxis.
- People fleeing to their villages in countryside, leaving hotels without staff.
- Thamel area is particularly bad, as it's without electricity and running water. And all places closed.
- First two days the situation was somehow manageable. There was still food and water.
- On third day after the quake reality started to hit.
- Restaurants closed, shops closed, no running water, petrol stations dry and closed, so no taxis.
- People fleeing to their villages in countryside, leaving hotels without staff.
- Thamel area is particularly bad, as it's without electricity and running water. And all places closed.
Apr 28th, 2015, 03:51 PM
#34
- and monsoon season around the corner.
Several Nepali friends of ours, now living in the States, were finally able to contact relatives in Kathmandu yesterday for the first time since the quake. Some minor injuries reported, but nothing serious.
One family who has cars are sleeping in their vehicles, others are in the tents.
The wonderful guy who was our cook on a Langtang trek in '92 has no word on his elderly mother who lives in a village near the epicenter. He thinks village is destroyed.
... hard to find words.
Several Nepali friends of ours, now living in the States, were finally able to contact relatives in Kathmandu yesterday for the first time since the quake. Some minor injuries reported, but nothing serious.
One family who has cars are sleeping in their vehicles, others are in the tents.
The wonderful guy who was our cook on a Langtang trek in '92 has no word on his elderly mother who lives in a village near the epicenter. He thinks village is destroyed.
... hard to find words.
Apr 28th, 2015, 11:15 PM
#35
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May 1st, 2015, 01:52 AM
#37
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If you are thinking about donating, then before you do it's worth reading this...
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...ief-Nepal.html
!!
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...ief-Nepal.html
!!
May 2nd, 2015, 05:59 AM
#38
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Thanks, LL. My own donations have been through the America Himalaya Foundation, an organization which I respect and which describes 100% of its earthquake money going to longterm recovery and reconstruction. It is an organization which I have a lot of respect for. I will check with them on Monday to see about this situation.
May 2nd, 2015, 06:24 AM
#39
Unfortunate news.
Last week, after some discussion, we decided to give directly to Nepali friends in the US who will transfer the money to affected KTM relatives. We hope this was a good way to go.
The Himalaya Foundation was our other choice.
Last week, after some discussion, we decided to give directly to Nepali friends in the US who will transfer the money to affected KTM relatives. We hope this was a good way to go.
The Himalaya Foundation was our other choice.
May 2nd, 2015, 06:27 AM
#40
I've been wondering about Bandipur, the small town I stayed in between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Finally found a video of some of the damage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZIdqp6JTD0
For before: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...f-in-bandipur/
The coverage still seems to be concentrating on the Kathmandu valley, but the situation in the villages must be worse. Am waiting for the situation to settle a little before donating - the need will be there for a long time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZIdqp6JTD0
For before: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...f-in-bandipur/
The coverage still seems to be concentrating on the Kathmandu valley, but the situation in the villages must be worse. Am waiting for the situation to settle a little before donating - the need will be there for a long time.
