On Saturday morning, at 11.56 AM local time, a deadly earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Nepal, less than 50 miles northwest of the capital Kathmandu and along the Kathmandu Valley. Scientifically, a chunk of rock 15 kilometers below the Earth’s surface shifted, causing mass destruction in the capital city and those surrounding it as well as an avalanche on Mount Everest; tremors were also felt in neighboring countries like India. Leaving more than 3,200 dead and still counting, the earthquake destroyed several historical areas and monuments and completely demolished several villages. The earthquake also claimed lives in neighboring areas: 61 deaths were recorded in India, 20 in Tibet, 2 in Bangladesh, and 2 in the Chinese-Nepal border. Socially, however, the damage to people and history is greater than we can even begin to imagine - UN reports claim that over 5 million people were affected by the earthquake, over a million children are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and several cultural and historical sites were destroyed including temples and the world-famous 19th century Dharahara Tower. This is the deadliest earthquake to hit Nepal since the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake, when an 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal and India, becoming one of the world’s worst earthquakes and claiming over 19,000 lives in both the countries. Saturday’s earthquake caused severe damage to the infrastructure of the country that will take years to repair - pathways are filled with the rubble of toppled buildings and there are huge cracks in the roads creating open gaps. The earthquake also caused a dreadful avalanche in Mt.Everest which killed over 18 hikers and guides, including Google executive Dan Fredinburg, with several hundred missing. Over a 1,000 climbers had gathered at the base of the mountain for hiking season, and not all have been accounted for as communication has been unstable and irreliable in the area. The night following the earthquake, several civilians slept on the road and in tents to prepare for aftershocks that could cause further damage to property, and the situation was not aided by rainy and cold weather. The wet weather is also hampering rescue efforts, with rain predicted for the majority of the week.The Kathmandu airport has also been closed and flights are being redirected to neighboring cities in India, further hindering international rescue efforts. Sunday involved several aftershocks, including another 6.7 magnitude earthquake which was strong enough to also be felt in New Delhi, India. This further affected already damaged buildings The most pressing issues are currently the problems of sanitation, due to a lack of water, food, and hygiene, and space issues as hospitals are overcrowded and some not as equipped to deal with so many patients. Hospitals have been flooded with patients being treated from serious injuries to traumatic ones, and in several areas space issues have led to doctors treating patients on the road. Communication has also been a huge problem as phone lines in several areas are down, access roads have been damaged by rubble and landslides, and communication lines are unstable. Thirty two of the country’s seventy five districts have been affected by the earthquake. Dead bodies are being placed on top of each other to conserve space for the alive, and pyres of burning bodies can be seen in several areas of the country. Nepal has seen terrible political conflicts in the past 30 years, ranging from rebellions and a civil war that transformed the country from a monarchy to a federal republic, to problems with governance, poverty, and international relations; all this political turmoil has made the country one of the poorest nations in Asia, and this earthquake is sure to take a further toll on its economy. But while the country goes through one of its worst periods in history, the government’s prompt response along with quick foreign aid has been acting as a glimmer of hope for the small Himalayan nation that is home to 27.8 million people. India was the first to provide humanitarian aid by sending military aircrafts with relief teams to pull people out of rubble and medical teams to help the overcrowded hospitals. Teams from China, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia are also helping with rescue efforts, and South Korea has offered $1 million dollars in aid while Taiwan has promised $300,000 dollars; Canada has promised $5 million USD in aid as well as a Disaster Assistance Response Team. Other countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have also sent rescue teams and pledged monetary aid. Countries from all over the world are also helping to airlift their own nationals living in Nepal. Online effort is also being used to help the situation as much as possible - Google recently launched a person finder facility to allow people to submit information about those they know are safe or they are looking for. Red Cross also launched its own people finder service to help family members find each other, while Facebook is using its Safety Check feature to let your Facebook friends know whether you are safe if you are in or near the territories affected by the earthquake. People from around the world are taking to social media sites like Twitter to offer their support and prayers, with trending hashtags like #Pray4Nepal and #NepalEarthquake. Several charities and online donation funds have also been set up for people all around the world to help the situation, such as Save the Children, helping the Nepal Earthquake Children’s Relief Fund; Global Giving, helping the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund; and CARE Emergency, providing immediate relief. It has truly been amazing to see the international community come together to help Nepal and its citizens cope up with this natural disaster. Whether it is through directory monetary aid, through rescue and medical teams, or through the use of technology and social media to help connect people, the response has been overwhelmingly supportive and useful. In a small community like ours at NYU Shanghai, a event that affects one indirectly affects us all. Several students are wondering what they can do to help the situation. Abiral Chitrakar Phnuyal, a sophomore at NYU Shanghai hailing from Nepal, says he recommends waiting for the dust to clear: “I’ve seen several of these funding movements going around, but I’d be careful about committing to any of those right at the outset of disaster. I feel it’s necessary to have a little more information about what efforts are actually needed and going to be effective before third parties come in. For now, it sounds like the government is doing an admirable job with immediate relief, and the other bulk of it should be (and I feel to a great extent is) coming in through community efforts. Of course, if you can help facilitate information in a way that reaches Nepalis and others with connections in Nepal, please do!” Nepali writer and photographer Kashish Das Shrestha called for helping using Twitter: “Kathmandu is called the city of “Living Heritage” - where generations artisan families rebuild after every quake. They will be tested, need help.” We have no doubt that Nepal’s citizens will bounce back from this trying time like they always have, and will rebuild their nation stronger than ever. As more facts become clear and more people are pulled out of rubble, the NYU Shanghai community is praying for Nepal and all its victims, and promises to remain proactive in keeping its students updated with news and finding ways to help. If you have been affected by this event or know of anyone else who has, please do not hesitate to contact NYU Shanghai’s Health and Wellness department on the sixth floor of the Academic Building or calling them at 2059-5353.The NYU Wellness Exchange is also available 24/7 and can be reached by dialing 2059-9999.

This article was written by Lathika Chandra Mouli. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons