Many donors, friends and supporters have contacted me to learn if the areas of R Star’s work were damaged or people killed. There were no deaths, though the quake was felt at the area of our work in Kavre.
Rabindra, R Star’s lead man in Nepal for 20 years, sent me some startling photos of the reality he and others are working in at this time, which were sent to him.
Rabin is, once again, “boots on the ground” with others to bring relief to those deeply affected by the quake. Mosquito nets are needed along with housing, food, and medical care.
As a reminder, nearly 10,000 people lost their lives in May and June 2015 7.9 quake around noon.
The quake on Nov. 4, around 10:30 p.m., has a loss of around 200 and growing.
Why so many losses? There is little infrastructure in the building of homes and buildings in rural areas, which are made of bricks and dirt mortar, and no rebar is used, as noted in photos not showing the twisted metal. Thus, the buildings just collapse upon themselves, crushing those beneath.
Ancient building was built in such a way the buildings absorbed the shocks. That ended when it was realized that houses could be built quickly and cheaply without the absorbers. They forgot the wisdom of the ancients who knew they were living in a seismic hotspot.
Nepal is backed up into the highest mountain range in the world. Mountains are formed by the plates coming together, squishing the earth with pressure, which forms mountains as the plates converge. More quakes will arrive and continue. If you wish to assist those in Nepal, please contact me at [email protected] or 949-497-4911 to learn more.
Rosalind Russell, Founder of R Star, Laguna Beach
