Quake-hit Nepalese still homeless
Print Edition
A year after an earthquake flattened her home in Nepal, Menuka Rokaya still lives in a tent with her husband and 9-month-old baby as they wait for their share of a US$4 billion aid fund.
“We have lived like this with a baby through monsoon (season) and winter,” said Rokaya, one of an estimated 4 million people who are still homeless. “The quake spared us, but it is difficult to survive now.”
The government promised US$2,000 for every home destroyed, but fewer than 700 families have received the first installment of US$500.
The world rallied to donate money to help the desperately poor Himalayan nation after the 7.8-magnitude quake struck on April 25, last year.
Nearly 9,000 people lost their lives in the disaster, which destroyed half a million homes.
But while US$4 billion has been raised, wrangling between political parties over control of the funds has meant that most victims have received nothing beyond an initial small payout.
An estimated 4 million people are still living in sub-standard temporary shelters, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Many were living hand to mouth even before the quake, which dealt a huge blow to Nepthe country’s already fragile economy.
Tourism also took a nosedive as prospective visitors canceled bookings following dozens of deaths in quake-triggered avalanches at Everest base camp and along the popular Langtang trekking route. Work has begun on repairing the huge damage done to Nepal’s cultural heritage — a major tourist draw.
The famous royal squares of the Kathmandu Valley reopened to the public last June and masons have begun work on restoring other historic sites, including the 5th-century Changu Narayan complex, but local officials say it will take years to complete.
In Ramechhap district, east of Kathmandu, where 40,000 houses were damaged, Gurkha soldiers have been hard at work breaking rocks and laying down concrete to construct schools and build homes for veterans.
They plan to complete work on 1,200 houses by next year under a scheme run by the Britain-based Gurkha Welfare Trust.
“People are living under very poor conditions, just in a temporary shelter, so things are really bad,” said Sergeant Lal Rana.
“We are trying to help, but it won’t be enough because people need help all over Nepal.”
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