AJWS is where i make donations,as now. Good luck.
Everything is focused on Kathmandu-- rescue teams, aids and news media. But none is going to just forty miles to the north of Kathmandu, the Helambu region in where more than fifty villages are completely destroyed; I received the information from my relatives and my survivor parents, after fatigue attempt of calls, that they are living to death-- no water, no foods, no shelter in cold in the rain. The roads washed away. Another distressing fact is that the government has control over the domestic air companies refusing to authorize the request of local citizens.
1
Phurpa Lama,
Thinking of your family and friends at this time with sorrow and keep spreading the word. Many rescue workers, some of the most brilliant and experienced in the international community, are joining others who are already in Nepal with its local public servants. This will be a long term emergency operation for many of them, and The Helambu region and its people, is already being viewed as one of the most devastated in need of relief. Keep spreading the word.
Thinking of your family and friends at this time with sorrow and keep spreading the word. Many rescue workers, some of the most brilliant and experienced in the international community, are joining others who are already in Nepal with its local public servants. This will be a long term emergency operation for many of them, and The Helambu region and its people, is already being viewed as one of the most devastated in need of relief. Keep spreading the word.
Nepal is a poor country. It's so sad that such a disaster happened there. It's at the same time a relief that the death toll has so far been not staggering.
Hopefully the death toll will remain under 10, 000. And the injured may not be too many.
Unfortunately, millions are affected by the the quake. They need the world's kindness and help. In a country like Nepal, a dollar goes a long way, 40-50fold greater than it would in the West. Therefore, we should donate liberally to rebuild the destroyed structures. CARE & Red cross will do the rest. Such large organizations won't misappropriate the funds collected. Indian personnel are doing most of what is needed for immediate relief. China also will help.
Hopefully the death toll will remain under 10, 000. And the injured may not be too many.
Unfortunately, millions are affected by the the quake. They need the world's kindness and help. In a country like Nepal, a dollar goes a long way, 40-50fold greater than it would in the West. Therefore, we should donate liberally to rebuild the destroyed structures. CARE & Red cross will do the rest. Such large organizations won't misappropriate the funds collected. Indian personnel are doing most of what is needed for immediate relief. China also will help.
2
I just got back a week ago from Kathmandu after doing the EBC trek. Firstly it is heartbreaking to see the devastation; areas like Patan Square seem to be completely devastated.
Also the people I met during my time in Nepal are simple, hard working people who have dreams for their children (for e.g.: my guide wants his son to be a doctor with what he hopes will be an education from Australia). It is indeed very sad to see the impact of this devastation on these peoples lives. I have not been able to connect with my guide and tour operators yet but I sincerely hope and pray that they & their families are safe.
Nepal is treasured with some of the most beautiful, rugged natural landscapes in the world. I hope we (the world community) rally to support and uplift these people facing this natural calamity to help them with their aspirations.
Also the people I met during my time in Nepal are simple, hard working people who have dreams for their children (for e.g.: my guide wants his son to be a doctor with what he hopes will be an education from Australia). It is indeed very sad to see the impact of this devastation on these peoples lives. I have not been able to connect with my guide and tour operators yet but I sincerely hope and pray that they & their families are safe.
Nepal is treasured with some of the most beautiful, rugged natural landscapes in the world. I hope we (the world community) rally to support and uplift these people facing this natural calamity to help them with their aspirations.
5
One of these temples was built in 1640 and you think the construction is shoddy? This was a big one....
It's a huge human tragedy of undefined magnitude. This exactly looks like more than a war destroyed country but in this case nature caused havoc.
My heartfelt sympathies and prayers are with the badly affected families. No doubt, Nepal government simply can't cope with it however sincerely it may try. It's nice to learn that India, America, China, Isreal and other countries are contributing to the humanitarian task of unimaginable magnitude.
I have read that Nepal is a wonderful sightseeing country. Hope, it recovers from the shock, slowly and steadily and that it's old glory will be retained again.
My heartfelt sympathies and prayers are with the badly affected families. No doubt, Nepal government simply can't cope with it however sincerely it may try. It's nice to learn that India, America, China, Isreal and other countries are contributing to the humanitarian task of unimaginable magnitude.
I have read that Nepal is a wonderful sightseeing country. Hope, it recovers from the shock, slowly and steadily and that it's old glory will be retained again.
3
Om mani padme hum.
Well, I didn't hear any fundamentalist Christians on TV today denying plate tectonics and suggesting that this earthquake occurred not because of the Indian subcontinent sliding beneath the Roof of the World -- the world's tallest mountains are getting taller -- but because the Nepalese are infidels. This I take to be a significant improvement upon John Hagee's Katrina theory, and perhaps indicative of the correctness of Whig historiography. But that judgement is surely premature, as there's plenty of time left for them to run their mouths.
In truth, this was a tragic inevitability, and it behooves all of us -- private citizens, governmental organizations, and NGOs -- to do all we can to provide aid and comfort to those affected, and to help fund earthquake-resistant structures (though I hope the Dharahara Tower is rebuilt exactly as it was).
Well, I didn't hear any fundamentalist Christians on TV today denying plate tectonics and suggesting that this earthquake occurred not because of the Indian subcontinent sliding beneath the Roof of the World -- the world's tallest mountains are getting taller -- but because the Nepalese are infidels. This I take to be a significant improvement upon John Hagee's Katrina theory, and perhaps indicative of the correctness of Whig historiography. But that judgement is surely premature, as there's plenty of time left for them to run their mouths.
In truth, this was a tragic inevitability, and it behooves all of us -- private citizens, governmental organizations, and NGOs -- to do all we can to provide aid and comfort to those affected, and to help fund earthquake-resistant structures (though I hope the Dharahara Tower is rebuilt exactly as it was).
5
Human life is naturally invested with two things : human compulsions which may be called human circumscription and other is human ingenuity to either match or outsmart the said human compulsion through appropriate and sufficient use of human ingenuity or faculty of creativity. So we should do our best either to match the Nepal tragedy or outsmart it with appropriate and sufficient use of human ingenuity. One part of human ingenuity would be spirit of togetherness or association or union. This writer finds that the same formulae is being adopted by world community. But it looks as though the spirit requires more intensity of togetherness or association to outsmart the compulsion. That would be fine.
The great sadness: why can't we humans around the planet selflessly come together regardless of national borders and competing belief systems to help one another the way we come together in the moment to help the victims of tragedies such as the one in Nepal? Chinese and Americans and Indians and Israelis, etc., all together. Because make no mistake: if we do not learn how to do this, and very soon, the tempest of fear and greed reinforced by mindless patriotism will consume us all.
24
Grieving the dear ones aside, the mass cremation during these times should be discouraged by authorities. During similar tragedies in India during floods at Uttarkhand and quake in Gujarat there were mass cremations although environmentalists appealed for mass burial to prevent deforestation and pollution but religious sentiments prevailed. One of the reasons of deaths due to floods was due to deforestation itself.
4
Grieving the dear ones ASIDE?!? You'd pop your cork if a pile of strangers rushed to YOUR mother's deathbead to admonish you about say, the chemicals used in US burial practices. Please just send funds etc to help people devastated by this or not as you choose but I beg you- save the 'eco-funereal best-practices study and policy guidance' for more appropriate time and place.
6
We are so insignificant. When I look at these pictures of the agony of the loss of loved ones and the perfunctory cremation of them, it makes me understand how fleeting our stay on earth truly is compared to the rising up of the great mountains. Our lives look so much less personal in those cremation piles of discarded bodies that were inhabited by people with lives they felt worth living. Those crusts of the eath's surface paid no attention to the life living on top of them. We are nothing, yet we arrogate such importance to ourselves. The only thing that could matter is to keep on loving and striving. Those brave people who stayed in the rubble to pull victims out whom they didn't know and through the repeated shocks, is the grandest of gestures a human being could make…more than a gesture, but an act of pure love for their fellowman. Humanity is in utter pain today in Nepal. I'm sure there are other less wonderful things those humans are doing as well, but I prefer to see the better angels of their natures.
9
I know this newspaper means well but please remove the photos of people cremating their loved ones & others. Something we shouldn't see.
3
Please. This is something we shouldn't see? Public cremations are commonplace in some cultures.
Photos of destruction, injured people and the dead are all part of the reporting of this horrific tragedy.
Photos of destruction, injured people and the dead are all part of the reporting of this horrific tragedy.
17
At the age of 2 I had visited Nepal, although I remember nothing. But I have always had a special place in my heart for the Nepali people. As a child in India, we had a Gurkha watchman who was warm and loving. They are great people.My heart is breaking for them.
8
Our government has spent many TRILLIONS of dollars on atomic bombs and their safe keeping; on the largest navy and air force in the world; and on the most powerful and well-equipped army and marine corps in the world. Now that we're not in war-mode in Iraq and Afghanistan, where is the aid that our mighty military should be bringing to help one of the poorest countries in the world (with some of the nicest people)?
If we don't help our neighbors when help is SOO needed, what kind of people have we become? Come on, prove me wrong in my belief that we care only about ourselves and very, very little about others.
If we don't help our neighbors when help is SOO needed, what kind of people have we become? Come on, prove me wrong in my belief that we care only about ourselves and very, very little about others.
12
These people were poor before and they will be poor after.
No one really cares about dead poor people. It just makes good news.
In a couple of weeks we will be on the next story.
No one really cares about dead poor people. It just makes good news.
In a couple of weeks we will be on the next story.
1
The American Red Cross site specifically identifies "Nepal Eathquake Relief" for donations. It is the right thing to do on this Sunday in April.
9
How much money did the western societies pledge for relief in Nepal compared to evacuating a handful of climbers that were there risking their lives to begin with?
20
I agree, except that too many of the stranded are poor but hard-working Sherpas trying to make a living hauling the loads the climbers can or will not. Maybe rescuing the tents at the same time would be helpful for some of the thousands of people stuck outside in the cold and the rain.
Looking at the Nepalese earthquake pictures makes it difficult to sip coffee in the comfort of my own home. Those poor people. Where can we give money to help them? Has someone published a list of 'safe' donation websites, where the bulk of the money will actually reach these people?
6
Mercy Corps is a very good, solid organization and I've donated through them for several relief efforts.
https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/survivors-need-your-help-now
https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/survivors-need-your-help-now
5
UNICEF (The United Nations International Children's Fund). Let us remember the children who are alive, frightened and lost; the next generation of the People of Nepal. So tragic in lost horizons, that today in exchanges and greetings among friends, none of us were able to speak of this devastating tragedy.
1
If I might assist: Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Unicef, Mercy Corps, Project Hope are all highly vetted, thoroughly professional international aid organizations which are accustomed to going into disaster zones around the globe. There are certainly many others - and let us not forget the animals in Nepal, who have also been terrorized and traumatized, or worse, in this type of overwhelming disaster. Most news affiliates will publish lists of international aid organizations, with links, on their respective websites, Robin: you can visit any of them, undoubtedly, to find those links. I have already given to all of these I've listed, and I pray that millions of Americans will do likewise, in whatever fashion they can. I grieve with all of the Nepali people, and hope that they find some solace in the compassion and support they receive from around the globe.
5
We need to spend more R&D in Geology and Geophysics. We do not have advanced sensing systems or models to predict earthquakes and their strength and the depth even within 24 hours of the incident.
3
Enough with the rich climbers on Mt.Everest. The people of Nepal are suffering.
29
I thought that at first, but I don't think it's fair. In any disaster, the media will tell any local story there may be. And Americans on Everest are the local story. Telling it grabs the attention of many, and makes the overall disaster more real. It's not about rich and poor. It's about folks we can better identify with. And if a disaster feels more personal, we care more.
11
Aren't rich climbers part of the human race? Does it not hurt when their bones are broken, do they not suffer buried alive under snow? Do their loved ones back home not worry themselves sick wondering if they've survived, do they not grieve when they discover they've perished?
And wasn't the majority of the article about the suffering of the Napalese?
And wasn't the majority of the article about the suffering of the Napalese?
18
If climbers are killed on Everest that means Sherpas are killed. You know, the local Nepalese people trying to make a buck.
11
16+ years ago when I visited Nepal and visited Nepal's landmarks and saw Everest from a distant mountain top amidst the greenery and scenery, I thought to myself if there is a heaven on earth this is it and when a helicopter crashed some years later I thought it was tragic but not a bad place where lives ended for the passenger and the pilot. The day after this devastating earthquake I feel shattered by the helplessness of humanity to avert the loss of nearly 2500 people and destruction of historical landmarks and homes. I have confidence that the human spirit will rise again and rebuild the structures and the nation with the generosity of the global community. With prime minister Modi in neighboring India experienced in reconstruction following earthquakes in Gujarat when he was the chief minister and a willingness to do everything possible, I have hope that some day the affected regions of Nepal and India will be fully restored. Lives lost will be remembered by those who will have to find the strength to go on. I asked a medical student from Nepal how can one make donations to a reliable organization and he suggested UNICEF by calling a number and texting Nepal. I assume Red cross and Medecins Sans Frontiere (Doctors without borders will be other organizations that could be reliable.
7
Sakar Pudasaini,
Thinking of you, your family, your countrymen and the sorrow brought upon you by 'mother' nature's tough love...
Remembering the hike and the conversation we shared up Pima Canyon three years ago — I feel like crying too...
Musing on the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess, his deep respect for mountains and his trekking on the Himalayas...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8meah_arne-naess_creation
Thinking of you, your family, your countrymen and the sorrow brought upon you by 'mother' nature's tough love...
Remembering the hike and the conversation we shared up Pima Canyon three years ago — I feel like crying too...
Musing on the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess, his deep respect for mountains and his trekking on the Himalayas...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8meah_arne-naess_creation
7
I don't donate to these major causes any more...not after Haiti when I sent $600 and to this day, these poor people are still living in abject poverty with no homes, despite the so-called pledges and donations of millions....who knows what pocket these donations end up in...other than Doctors Without Borders, I don't trust the major so-called support agencies either...I've read horror stories how they pay hundreds of thousands to their executives, fly first class and give a pittance to the poor people. Not angry...it's business as usual...the poor have been the conduit of riches for the rich since the beginning of time... Maybe some of those rich Mt. Everest climbers when they look at their photos at the top of the mountain, will donate to the people of Nepal.
9
Consider finding and donating to people on the ground, doing the work. Don't worry about a tax deduction, just reach out to find local projects you can support. I have done this for water projects in Bolivia, wells in Malawi, infant incubators in Africa, a hospital library in Ethiopia, all through personal, trusted contacts. I will do the same in Nepal.
6
I realize the utter devastation with the quake and the multiple aftershocks and limited, if any, connections.
Still the following could be invaluable information for communication for notifying that some traveling, working, reporting from the Nepal are safe.
"On Saturday afternoon, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on his timeline that the notifications came from Safety Check, a service the company launched last fall. "When disasters happen, people need to know their loved ones are safe," he wrote, "It's moments like this that being able to connect really matters."
Still the following could be invaluable information for communication for notifying that some traveling, working, reporting from the Nepal are safe.
"On Saturday afternoon, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on his timeline that the notifications came from Safety Check, a service the company launched last fall. "When disasters happen, people need to know their loved ones are safe," he wrote, "It's moments like this that being able to connect really matters."
5
Re: Status updates: "Safe"
3
We all must pull together....and help.....This is the reason for The United
Nations....and need anyone say anymore than this....Please Help..!!!
Nations....and need anyone say anymore than this....Please Help..!!!
18
Prayers for survivors, grieving families & friends, rescue workers, & officials grappling with the disaster as well as businesses that have been decimated. I shudder imagining the impact on their economy. Contributions are desperately needed by aid organizations. Please help!
6
Thanks to the writers or their editors for using "enormousness" instead of "enormity." Some of us still recall the difference in meanings.
12
As tragic as the devastations are, Nepal has a history of deadly earthquakes of similar magnitude since 1255. The last quake was in 1934, killing over 17.000 people. Nepal sits on the boundary of two major tectonic plates. So
yesterday's quake will not be the last one.
But what can this impoverished country do, to safeguard itself against future disasters?
yesterday's quake will not be the last one.
But what can this impoverished country do, to safeguard itself against future disasters?
5
Besides strict building codes, maybe countries with more financial resources can help pay for advanced warning systems where they're needed, and which would hopefully reduce the loss of life.
6
As far as I know there are no advance warning systems for earthquakes. They might help people know that it's not a goid idea to start climbing just after a quake, however.
3
my friend now in Nepal - he say that is need help!!!
11
Yes, Please. Let's not get caught up in the next fashion show or what the latest celebrity is doing. They need help, people have become very jaded.
1
Haiti on a bigger scale. Yes, there is tragedy and it will have to be dealt with.
The U.N. is not a complete loss as the likes of Dick Cheney would suggest.
There is an honest side. NYT doing well. Now show the pictures of relief aides showing up.
The U.N. is not a complete loss as the likes of Dick Cheney would suggest.
There is an honest side. NYT doing well. Now show the pictures of relief aides showing up.
10
Of course it's awful - I'm struck though by the remarkable media attention - in proportion of victims - to a handful of Mt. Everest climbers already engaging in a high risk venture versus the thousands of nameless dead and impacted.
82
Perhaps you would feel differently if you knew someone on one of the mountains. Westerners are concentrated there and their family/friends want information. Either way taking a shot at mountaineering right now is in pretty poor taste.
1
Jeff C
Our human mind is not processed to take in a catastrophe of such magnitude. It is for this reason that we need a focus point of grief in order to spread the word to the international community, to our neighbors, to us, while some of us have been to Nepal and are on our way now. For the love of our Planet, all in the name of Humanity and in Homage to the Nepalese, we are renewing efforts to bring us together - The Human Condition.
Our human mind is not processed to take in a catastrophe of such magnitude. It is for this reason that we need a focus point of grief in order to spread the word to the international community, to our neighbors, to us, while some of us have been to Nepal and are on our way now. For the love of our Planet, all in the name of Humanity and in Homage to the Nepalese, we are renewing efforts to bring us together - The Human Condition.
What a terrible tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Nepal. I just read that Catholic Relief Services is sending $725,000 to the country as well as their workers. We should do all we can to assist these people of whom most have so little in the way of resources. There but for the grace of God go I. We are so fortunate and many of us do not realize or appreciate this.
13
Of course the third world country high up in the mountains is ill equipped and hundreds of thousands of people majority very very poor have no choice other then stay out side, because their homes and dwellings have be completely turned into rubble Where else are they expected to go.
The do gooder thought and payers are just empty gestures we we and the rest of the western world waste ans abuse food water, resources with coercion, reckless abandon and impunity.
The do gooder thought and payers are just empty gestures we we and the rest of the western world waste ans abuse food water, resources with coercion, reckless abandon and impunity.
4
Any 3rd world country is going to be devastated by the force of an earthquake. Growing up in San Francisco and living in LA, I had had my share of the 'big one' But in CA, we have an infrastructure to support such a disaster...This is not the case in Nepal, Indonesia, nor Mexico..My heart goes out to all the suffering caused by this earthquake...
10
My prayers for the affected, Even my nephew was caught in it. We had few axhous hours before we could connect to him. But the truth is that we are heading for huge earth quakes, volcanic eruption, flaosh flood/snows, fires accidents. We are being endangered by sudden peaking and falling of energy. We are on the expected line of destruction by unwinding and winding force of nature. Noble laureate James Lovelock has predicted 5/6 of the population being destroyed by increasing heat that we are adding to environment. By Grace Time has not passed. We can still awaken to take Guard of our abode. It is a matter of knowing the Principle and Design on which earth works to sustain her temperature or energy to matter ratio. In our ignorance, we are upsetting this ratio due to reckless release of heat and intervening into night cycle. By felling the forest, we are upsetting Co2 to O2 ratio, another vital factor for Higher Life. If we awaken and manage the energy of the earth’s environment, we not only can survive but also can evolve into Golden Age. This should be accompanied by development of new technologies that release less heat. Life gives clues for it – We are being stressed to evolve
10
While I can't help but mourn for those affected by this, I have to wonder if we, as a country, are ready for anything like this? We know many of us are vulnerable to the same natural and man made forces that could very well hamper our standards of living (think EMP attacks, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc., do you have enough food, water, etc., to survive more than a day?)
Do we have the ability to survive a nuclear attack from a country who might want to kill western civilization when it becomes possible for them to do so?
Think about that.
Meanwhile, please give to those in need who have suffered in India and around the world. There are some in this country who don't believe that without us, the entire world suffers more than they would had we not been here.
Another sad day.
Do we have the ability to survive a nuclear attack from a country who might want to kill western civilization when it becomes possible for them to do so?
Think about that.
Meanwhile, please give to those in need who have suffered in India and around the world. There are some in this country who don't believe that without us, the entire world suffers more than they would had we not been here.
Another sad day.
5
Of course we are not ready...when it happens to us, the rich will climb on the backs on the poor to get theirs and their family taken care of in the style to which they have become accustomed. Look at 911...donations to survivors were based on the income of the people who died...instead of need...keeping your swimming pool heated is not need.
9
Nepal "terrorized" by aftershocks?
I guess the Americans are obsessed with terrorism. Wherever they look, they see the terrorist (who is a creation of their own as a blow-back to their murderous actions around the world.)
The correct word here is "terrified."
A more appropriate choice of phrase is: "Nepal terrified by aftershocks."
I guess the Americans are obsessed with terrorism. Wherever they look, they see the terrorist (who is a creation of their own as a blow-back to their murderous actions around the world.)
The correct word here is "terrified."
A more appropriate choice of phrase is: "Nepal terrified by aftershocks."
84
There are multiple definitions of "terrorize."
1. to fill or overcome with terror.
2. to dominate or coerce by intimidation.
3. to produce widespread fear by acts of violence, as bombings.
The first one applies to the story.
1. to fill or overcome with terror.
2. to dominate or coerce by intimidation.
3. to produce widespread fear by acts of violence, as bombings.
The first one applies to the story.
13
Thank you. I had exactly the same reaction. Yes, technically it is an appropriate word, but there is so much political and armed terrorism going on that the word is used much too frequently. "Terrified by" would work, as would other options.
Come on, NYT, show some of that vaunted facility with language.
Come on, NYT, show some of that vaunted facility with language.
5
I was in the '89 Loma Prieta quake. "Terrorized" is an accurate word.
6
My thoughts, prayers and condolences to the Nepali people. Their country is in ruins. How are they ever going to recover from this calamity? Life was tough enough before the earthquake, now what? How can they ever deal with their irreversible losses. There is no one to recompense these people so they can pick up the pieces and try another shot at life. I shudder to think of the oncoming winter. Hopefully, people of the world will come together, putting aside differences and politics to help the Nepali people because after all we all are a part of the human species.
11
This is truly a tragedy. Thank God we who are more fortunate want to help in any way we can, which is human nature at its best. However, as climate change progresses and intense weather related tragedies become common place will we still wish to help others in need? Maybe we should act to curb green house gas emissions with the same zeal.
6
Donate and research where your money goes before you do.
Unicef for example is an excellent charity, with over 90% going to the program and less than 3% being spent on administrative costs.
Unicef for example is an excellent charity, with over 90% going to the program and less than 3% being spent on administrative costs.
12
The American Himalayan foundation is also a true charity. 100% goes to aiding those who are suffering.
http://himalayan-foundation.org/blog/122083
http://himalayan-foundation.org/blog/122083
1
Everyone who criticizes Nepal for its poor-quality construction should remember that it takes money to build stronger buildings. And money requires investment and, in the case of Nepal, fair pay for goods and services. The international community has a large share of responsibility for keeping Nepal poor. Is it really appropriate for those in a comfortable, privileged position to blame an impoverished country for cheap construction or for inadequate response to disaster? And to do so while aftershocks are still wreaking havoc?
Disasters on such a vast scale require an international preparedness at the level of the UN. The most powerful nations in the UN, incl. the US, should have plans in place to respond to such disasters that go clearly beyond the resources of the country in which they occur. That requires, of course, that we see ourselves as one humanity.
Disasters on such a vast scale require an international preparedness at the level of the UN. The most powerful nations in the UN, incl. the US, should have plans in place to respond to such disasters that go clearly beyond the resources of the country in which they occur. That requires, of course, that we see ourselves as one humanity.
51
Thank you for your analysis. Many people have no clue on the connections of our world. Our hyper-consumer culture is highly dependent on the culture of poverty in many countries. Both the human cost and the environmental destruction is externalized. Only the people with the ability to think critically are able see this connections.
2
why is it the first worlds responsibility to foot the bill for other countries natural disasters? lord it is called life and it happens everyday, sometimes bad sometimes good. We (the US) are broke anyway, ask the saudi's they have wads laying around
Nepalese are a tough people and with Indians helping them, they will recover just fine. The Hindu and Buddhist religions both teach about fate and the power and wisdom of nature.
The Western media likes to make a big deal about catastrophes, especially in less developed countries and trumpet subsequent western generosity, which often turns out to be more talk than substance.
The Western media likes to make a big deal about catastrophes, especially in less developed countries and trumpet subsequent western generosity, which often turns out to be more talk than substance.
5
Our son is in the Peace Corps in Nepal. He's safe as are all the other volunteers. It is a horrible natural disaster. Nepal is a desperately poor developing nation and will require all the help, relief and aid we can give them.
Please support Oxfam, the Red Cross MSF or any reputable organization that can help the Nepali people.
Please support Oxfam, the Red Cross MSF or any reputable organization that can help the Nepali people.
29
Kate: So glad your son is safe - he's doing wonderful work.
9
Thankful for your son's safety and the other volunteers.
In addition to those organizations, the American Himalayan Foundation is providing emergency support with every dollar et al going to the rescue
Thanks to your son for his work with the Peace Corps there.
In addition to those organizations, the American Himalayan Foundation is providing emergency support with every dollar et al going to the rescue
Thanks to your son for his work with the Peace Corps there.
10
Best to note that "MSF" in your message refers to Medecins Sans Frontiers, or, in English, Doctors Without Borders. Thought this might be a help. And there should be a comma before it, since it isn't connected to the Red Cross.
1
I can't help but wonder what would have happened if all the money spent by Westerners on quests for adventure (or on nauseating spectacles like the Sultan of Brunei's daughter's wedding) had been spent on adopting a village or a school and retrofitting it for earthquakes. The mountain has been climbed - ad nauseam. Where are the truly admirable and what are the noble quests in the 21st century?
51
The Sultan of Brunei is not a Westerner.
2
The Sultan of Brunei is a Westerner?
1
We'd like to know what we can do to help-- please advise, if you have information.
3
Here's a link to the NYT's "How To Help Victims" article. It's a good list of agencies and charities. PayPal is also collecting and distributing donations to reputable agencies and waiving any fees.
http://www.nytimes.com/live/earthquake-katmandu-nepal-updates/how-to-hel...
http://www.nytimes.com/live/earthquake-katmandu-nepal-updates/how-to-hel...
1
Thoughts, prayers are felt for the victims in Nepal.
Coverage of this by the journalists is fraught with peril.
Please know you are appreciated for your work and we
pray for your safety.
#PrayforNepal
Coverage of this by the journalists is fraught with peril.
Please know you are appreciated for your work and we
pray for your safety.
#PrayforNepal
28
A terrible tragedy. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. But couldn't the writer find a different verb than "terrorize?" for the headline?
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Terrorize. To fill with terror. You think that's inappropriate?
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You have a better word? Or is it somehow more serious if the agent of indiscriminate slaughternis a human?
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We are but tiny creatures with large brains existing in just a moment of geological time. Our brains may save us from extinction by our willingness to help the tapped in the rubble and on the side of that mountain whose very existence is made possible by earthquakes and by designing top notch warning systems for future use.
Without earthquake, volcanoes, our planet would be dead. It's up to us to help our species survive. The price of life, so it appears, is chaos.
If there is a God, may this God bless us and nudge us along as we seek to better understand our place on our planet and our place in the Universe.
Without earthquake, volcanoes, our planet would be dead. It's up to us to help our species survive. The price of life, so it appears, is chaos.
If there is a God, may this God bless us and nudge us along as we seek to better understand our place on our planet and our place in the Universe.
22
Utter hubris if you think humanity will survive. The sands of time are running out for THE party animal.
Terrible devastation at the top of the world. For another view of Katmandu's Durbar Square prior to the quake, you could do worse that go back and look at page 12 of Herge's "Tintin in Tibet": http://editorialjuventud.es/img/tintin/84-261-0382-0img1g.jpg
4
I don't see a single piece of power equipment. How can a country be so unprepared for a calamity. Anybody with half a brain should have known the potential for a disaster due to an earthquake.
1
It's a very poor nation, so it's understandable that they wouldn't be prepared like, say, San Francisco.
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"Nepal is a developing country with a low income economy, ranking 145th of 187 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2014. It continues to struggle with high levels of hunger and poverty. Despite these challenges, the country has been making steady progress, with the government making a commitment to graduate the nation from least developed country status by 2022."
Sallerup, I guess their brains are busy with trying to survive day to day. That has a habit of putting power equipment down on the list of priorities.
Sallerup, I guess their brains are busy with trying to survive day to day. That has a habit of putting power equipment down on the list of priorities.
25
Offering prayers for you, weeping with my Nepalese friends for your loss.
2
It must be terrible for people in a third world country to experience such a devastating earthquake not knowing if their government is prepare to help them through it. I experienced the October 17, 1989 earthquake in San Francisco when I was walking along Geary. The streets seems like you are on a surf board because the ground was moving up and down like waves in the ocean. Glass were popping out of windows and electricity stopped. I could not go up to my apartment on the 20th floor for at least five hours. Nothing to eat that evening because restaurants had no electricity. People went in to the happy hours at bars and eat what was available. These people in Nepal may not have anything to eat for a long time perhaps due to the conditions in that country. I feel for them and hope they will get all the help they need. We got ours in San Francisco because the city was prepared for the disaster.
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What government?
Sorrow.
8
This is so sad. This is the worst kind of disaster to happen since Tsunami.
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"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world." Diogenes.
All citizens of the world who are capable should participate in a massive international relief effort. We are one people on one small planet. It is our duty, as citizens, to render all possible assistance.
All citizens of the world who are capable should participate in a massive international relief effort. We are one people on one small planet. It is our duty, as citizens, to render all possible assistance.
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Extreme geological disturbance is indeed 'terrorizing,' which is why military and intelligence apparatus are so keenly interested in geoengineering. As the aftermath photos here testify, the effects resemble if not replicate those produced by high explosives including nuclear ones, yet without operational or secondary risk. As Teller, Oppenheimer and Heisenberg noted, the earth itself is one big powderkeg.
This particular seismic event will produce significant data on causality, damage and kill effect and response and reaction. It will of course underscore how and why resistant infrastructure can be engineered. Otherwise, Nepal, India, Pakistan and surrounding areas may further appreciate investment in civil adaptability and resistance. This could also happen in many parts of the US, which is not well prepared.
This particular seismic event will produce significant data on causality, damage and kill effect and response and reaction. It will of course underscore how and why resistant infrastructure can be engineered. Otherwise, Nepal, India, Pakistan and surrounding areas may further appreciate investment in civil adaptability and resistance. This could also happen in many parts of the US, which is not well prepared.
7
Having spent time in Katmandu all of the buildings there are made of granite and there was little evidence of rreinforced concrete so a quake brings those buildings down instantly.
That avalanches reached Everst base camp is incredible as it is located across the Khumbu glacier well away from the Khumbu ice fall. aGetting aid to the Everest region will be a slow process as the only airfield capable of landing twin Otters is at Lukla.
I was hiking there over 50 YAG when the vast majority of westerners got their 30 day trekking permit just to have access to the cheap and readily available marijuana. When the people making arrangements for me saw that I was there to see the mountains and experience their culture, they broke into huge smiles - I call it the 32 tooth smile.
Hopefully aid will reach those people and they can rebuild their lives.
That avalanches reached Everst base camp is incredible as it is located across the Khumbu glacier well away from the Khumbu ice fall. aGetting aid to the Everest region will be a slow process as the only airfield capable of landing twin Otters is at Lukla.
I was hiking there over 50 YAG when the vast majority of westerners got their 30 day trekking permit just to have access to the cheap and readily available marijuana. When the people making arrangements for me saw that I was there to see the mountains and experience their culture, they broke into huge smiles - I call it the 32 tooth smile.
Hopefully aid will reach those people and they can rebuild their lives.
21
"Basic construction materials used in all types of building were timber, brick, clay mortar, clay tiles, stone, and metals such as brass, copper, and iron." Not granite. I've been to Kathmandu many times over the past 40 years and never saw granite, though I'm no expert on building materials. Everywhere you look it's brick and wood and this disaster underscores that fact with the photos of collapsed buildings. You were lucky to be there 50 years ago when their were only a handful of tourists. My first visit was 1975 and it was magical. This is a terrible tragedy for a country with warm, hospitable people but with many problems in addition to this natural disaster. I think the world will rally to help where they can.
4
I am deeply wounded by this devastation. I have lived there, traveled there. I hope anyone with genuine care will offer assistance on the ground or long distance via verifiable groups such as the Red Cross or the American Himalayan Foundation. I have worked wither latter for over 20 years and every nickel goes to relief, not to fancy dinners by donors.
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Thank you for the suggestion of American Himalayan Foundation.
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@ Oregon
Yes, the best way we can help these poor people is to send money.
Two good recipients might be Americares and Doctors without Borders.
Yes, the best way we can help these poor people is to send money.
Two good recipients might be Americares and Doctors without Borders.
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Just curious, with help coming from western nations etc. has anyone taken note of any aid coming from China which is right next door?
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No, Nepal is jus anther country the Chinese wants to steal. Just like the Cinese did with Tibet or the Russians did with Crimea.
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Yes, they have sent search and rescue teams and "China’s Ministry of Commerce said it is coordinating with other agencies and providing 20 million yuan in tents, blankets, generators and other materials to be sent by charter flights to Nepal." This is what is needed now and they are closer than we are so they've stepped up to help.
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Sallerup, Nepal and China have a good relationship. Where are you getting your information?
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High altitude rescue efforts have an added problem: rescue workers flown in from low altitudes first have to adjust to the higher altitudes to avoid altitude sickness. Where people are alive in the debris, time is of the essence. It can take a couple of days or more to acclimatize. Some have little or no adjustment problems. Obviously, an excess of volunteers is needed to assure that help can be rendered in a timely and effective manner.
5
I was in Kathmandu in February 2008 with my husband and eldest daughter. I remember a number of these sites from then, and seeing them now makes me shudder.
Apparently this area gets heavy seismic activity every 75 years or so.
Apparently this area gets heavy seismic activity every 75 years or so.
2
This is simply heartbreaking.
But at the same time, I am wondering why this is languishing in terms of general public interest and coverage.
But at the same time, I am wondering why this is languishing in terms of general public interest and coverage.
7
another newspaper contains an article about the (supposed) 85-year periodicity of such quakes in Nepal... not only does this imbue the mantle, the continental crust and its tectonic plates a property (periodicity) that they don't possess - but the belief (in a deeply superstitious society) that another such quake won't come for another 85 years or so simply guarantees they will put off to future generations the building code improvements that are needed today (yesterday, actually)
30
Seeing people respond with any help they can after such a horrible disaster is one of the best things about humanity. It's the only thing that can counterbalance such a tremendous loss of life.
25
Japan and the U.S. are deploying earthquake detection instruments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_warning_system) that can provide seconds to minutes of warning before the devastating shaking of a major earthquake begins. This technology should be made available anywhere in the world where the greatest risks of severe earthquakes exist near densely populated areas. The cost is worth it given the huge potential for loss of life.
17
This is an unthinkable scale of loss and devastation - and there may be more yet to come. My heart goes out to all those suffering. I hope that the best in America will come out with the need we all see.
11
Some rescue efforts are underfunded. Some result in a huge international aid effort. Experts out there probably know which way this one is headed. It can't hurt that Katamandu is in the shadow of Everest. If I were in the rescuing business, the unequal funding of disaster relief would drive me crazy. There ought to be a system to fairly and equitably allocate international donations among the victims of the various world disasters.
9
This is a deeply terrible event. My heart goes out to the people of Nepal and if you can, please donate to the relief effort.
19
Did anybody else watch VICE on HBO? Donations from individuals go to immediate medical/food/housing relief but USAID is vacuumed up by contractors and less than 1% goes to helping the people on the ground. Hati is a prime example. They are still living in squalor without water, electricity or housing (in tent cities) after the United States gave almost $1 BILLION in aid. Where did the money go? USAID does not deign to explain to anybody. Watch VICE (produced by Bill Maher).
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