The Earthquake that shook Nepal on April 25th left thousands suffering in its wake. Killing more than 7,000 people and injuring more than 14,000, it may prove difficult for the people of this nation to pull through or recover. With all of that destruction, it’s hard to believe that any citizens left in the rubble could survive long enough to be rescued.
Phanchu Tamang, 101, at a hospital in the Nuwakot district. Gobalnews.ca 2015.
A week after the devastation, Phanchu Tamang was pulled from the wreckage of his home in Kimtang, northwest of Kathmandu. He is 101 years old! Rescued on Saturday, Tamang had been trapped since the quake hit. They rushed his by helicopter to the district hospital. Amazingly, Nepal’s National Emergency Network reported only “minor injuries to his ankle and hand”.
Police have also rescued others from some of the worst-hit areas, like the rubble in Sindhupalchowk. One Sunday, three women were among those rescued there. Despite these efforts, the death toll is expected to rise, once rescuers and relief crews are able to reach outlying mountain villages. It is estimated that the death toll could reach 10, 000.
“There are still villages where we know that all houses have been destroyed, but have not yet been able to reach,” Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat says. “The aftershocks have not receded and we expect the final casualty numbers to climb much higher,” he said. The chances of finding survivors buried in rubble are getting “extremely slim.”
“It is with great pain and sadness that I stand before you to present the case of my country Nepal which now remains devastated,” he said.
“It will be a miracle if anyone is found alive,” Home Ministry spokesman Laxmi Dhakal said. “But we have not completely given up yet and are continuing to look.”
Estimates from the United Nations show that over 3 million people are in need of immediate food assistance. They estimate that at least $415 million in emergency funding is required to help those in need. An estimated 300,000 houses were destroyed beyond use.
Dhakal has said Nepal would rebuild their nation and come out of the crisis stronger, but not without help from other countries. “We need your technical advice, global knowhow and importantly, substantial financial resources to propel us,” he said.
Rescues, like this amazing story may offer hope to Nepalese citizens, who are still reeling from the devastation. The earthquake that struck there had a magnitude of 7.8, making it the worst to hit them in over 80 years .
