Nepal earthquake: '90% of his village was destroyed before his eyes'

Source: The Guardian

Hundreds of villages in the central Nepalese district of Gorkha were among the hardest hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Saturday. The remote and mountainous region, home to an estimated 270,000 people, is struggling to evacuate survivors, with rescue efforts hampered by landslides.


Flattened houses litter Paslang village in Gorkha, Nepal. Photograph: Bishwo Ghimire/AP

At the hospital I met a 75-year-old man with a deep laceration and fracture of his leg. He told me 90% of his village, or about 1,100 households, had been destroyed before his eyes. He was overcome with emotion and struggled to speak. He had been born in that village, Barpak, and had spent his entire life there. When the earthquake struck he said it was like a volcanic explosion, with rocks flying everywhere.


Devastation in Paslang village, Gorkha. Photograph: AP

Helicopters have been struggling to conduct surveillance flights around these mountains due to heavy cloud cover, which has made it even more difficult for them to land and deliver any aid.

World Vision aims to assist 100,000 people across Nepal in the initial emergency response. Distributions of tarpaulins and blankets started two days after the earthquake and the most immediate needs are expected to be water, food, household supplies, temporary shelter and protection for children.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/27/nepal-earthquake-village-gorkha-rescue-world-vision