World Vision emergency team responds as 7.9 earthquake hits Nepal
UPDATE: Revised magnitude of 7.8
KATHMANDU, Nepal, April 25, 2015 – A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday, toppling buildings and creating avalanches in the Himalayas. The national disaster management agency has declared a state of emergency and says over 1000 people have died.
See photos from World Vision’s emergency response team here
Tonight, 30 people are staying at my home because I have an open space where they feel safe - Alina Shrestha, WV staff
“I was home with my five-year-old son when the ground started shaking, almost like we were in a boat,” said Alina Shrestha, Communications Manager with World Vision in Nepal. “We ran outside and everyone was screaming. One wall of my home collapsed. Tonight, 30 people are staying at my home because I have an open space where they feel safe. Many people are afraid of aftershocks and are sleeping outside, but it’s cold here. My children are sleeping in my car to try to stay warm.”
Fast facts:
• Aftershocks are continuing. News from the hardest hit area is slow to emerge – and the toll is likely to rise. The total population that may be impacted by this disaster is around 4 million people.
• As night falls, power is down in the capital Kathmandu and in surrounding areas, making initial assessments of the scale of destruction and displacement of people difficult to determine.
• The most immediate needs are potable water, food, household supplies, temporary shelter and protection for children.
• Before the earthquake, World Vision had identified Nepal as “very vulnerable” to earthquakes, and the aid agency had been implementing earthquake preparedness training for communities and workshops for schools to help reduce the risks of earthquakes. This work was done in Lalitpur and Rupandehi Districts for about 65,000 people.