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I was back in Kathmandu after finishing the household survey along the BP highway just a day before the April 25 earthquake rocked Nepal.
I was napping after the meal as it was Saturday and I was tired too. Just then someone began shaking my bed heavily. I knew this was earthquake only after people around began screaming. I sprang up from the bed and reached the balcony not knowing what to do. I watched the quivering houses around, trembling myself for about 40 seconds. Flower vases and other things fell down from the top and went past my head. Luckily, none of those hit my head. The building didn’t collapse. And I survived.
Next day, I boarded a truck to my home, Sindhuli. The truck had just stopped near Mamti (village) of Kavre for the passengers to get down when a major aftershock of 6.6 Richter scale hit again. Stones rolled down the hill from both sides and people nearby came out of their house screaming. Dust covered the sky partially. Luckily, the area was wide enough and the landslide didn’t reach us. And I survived again.
I reached my village late afternoon. All of the houses had collapsed. Villagers had gathered in a chautari nearby except the youths who were busy constructing a cottage for shelter.
The next morning, we restarted looking for the households that were buried under the debris. One of the roofs was of slate which made the task harder. Everything we took out was full of dust. No sooner had my grandfather left the house than it collapsed. He was saying that it would have been three days after his death if he hadn’t left the house just before 5 seconds.
About an hour later, the downpour began. We had just one tent, that too with holes. A gale nearly blew it away!! Tea was half boiled when the fire extinguished. The bucket with a half liter milk in it became full with rain water and that too began spilling. Firewood got wet, livestock got wet, clothes and grains recovered from the debris got wet. We were no exception. Everything buried under the debris got muddy. There was no way except to watch that all silently.
“Why do you all panic? Whatever god wants to do won't be left undone.” It was my grandfather who spoke out, probably seeing all misty-eyed.
I realized ‘god’ at least make them feel strong who have faith towards them. Not sure, in which corner the ‘gods’ my grandfather used to worship every day are buried, but still he had his faith towards them despite being angry for what ‘god’ has done.
I was in Kathmandu again when the third quake (major aftershock?) hit. I rushed out from the room and reached the gate when some bricks fell nearby from the house being constructed. Luckily again, they didn’t hit my head. And I survived again.
Similarly, millions of us hardly died. We survived again and again. And now we are joining blocks and bricks, mud and stones, bamboos and zinc sheets to rebuild the collapsed buildings and hearts and hearts to rebuild Nepal.
I was back in Kathmandu after finishing the household survey along the BP highway just a day before the April 25 earthquake rocked Nepal.
I was napping after the meal as it was Saturday and I was tired too. Just then someone began shaking my bed heavily. I knew this was earthquake only after people around began screaming. I sprang up from the bed and reached the balcony not knowing what to do. I watched the quivering houses around, trembling myself for about 40 seconds. Flower vases and other things fell down from the top and went past my head. Luckily, none of those hit my head. The building didn’t collapse. And I survived.
Next day, I boarded a truck to my home, Sindhuli. The truck had just stopped near Mamti (village) of Kavre for the passengers to get down when a major aftershock of 6.6 Richter scale hit again. Stones rolled down the hill from both sides and people nearby came out of their house screaming. Dust covered the sky partially. Luckily, the area was wide enough and the landslide didn’t reach us. And I survived again.
I reached my village late afternoon. All of the houses had collapsed. Villagers had gathered in a chautari nearby except the youths who were busy constructing a cottage for shelter.
The next morning, we restarted looking for the households that were buried under the debris. One of the roofs was of slate which made the task harder. Everything we took out was full of dust. No sooner had my grandfather left the house than it collapsed. He was saying that it would have been three days after his death if he hadn’t left the house just before 5 seconds.
About an hour later, the downpour began. We had just one tent, that too with holes. A gale nearly blew it away!! Tea was half boiled when the fire extinguished. The bucket with a half liter milk in it became full with rain water and that too began spilling. Firewood got wet, livestock got wet, clothes and grains recovered from the debris got wet. We were no exception. Everything buried under the debris got muddy. There was no way except to watch that all silently.
“Why do you all panic? Whatever god wants to do won't be left undone.” It was my grandfather who spoke out, probably seeing all misty-eyed.
I realized ‘god’ at least make them feel strong who have faith towards them. Not sure, in which corner the ‘gods’ my grandfather used to worship every day are buried, but still he had his faith towards them despite being angry for what ‘god’ has done.
I was in Kathmandu again when the third quake (major aftershock?) hit. I rushed out from the room and reached the gate when some bricks fell nearby from the house being constructed. Luckily again, they didn’t hit my head. And I survived again.
Similarly, millions of us hardly died. We survived again and again. And now we are joining blocks and bricks, mud and stones, bamboos and zinc sheets to rebuild the collapsed buildings and hearts and hearts to rebuild Nepal.
