The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Nepal climbed above 1,900 on Sunday and was continuing to rise as officials struggled to gauge the full scale of the disaster and the world rushed to provide desperately needed aid.
Dozens of aftershocks jolted Nepal on Saturday and Sunday as people sheltered where they could. Nepalese authorities continually revised the number of dead upwards a day after the Himalayan country was shaken by a magnitude 7.8 quake that wrecked houses, flattened centuries-old temples and triggered avalanches on Mount Everest.
More than 5,000 people had been injured, with the number of dead and injured expected to rise in the coming days. Nepalese police officials said more than 700 people died in Kathmandu alone.
An avalanche triggered by the quake struck a section of Everest’s base camp, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61 others, local reports said. Further up the mountain, about 100 climbers were safe but facing difficulty getting down as the route back to safety was damaged, with the situation of more people on other other routes on the mountain still unknown and rescue efforts under way.
So much devastation!
My daughter arrived back home last night after being on the road with a traveling stage show for almost a month, and she sort of shamed me by asking how I could be so focused on the President's WHCD speech and not this tragedy.
She had a point.
I guess part of the reason I had not written about it is that I found it a little overwhelming and didn't know what I could do to help here on this blog.
The US is responding by sending a disaster response team and a million dollars in aid, but I imagine that amount will go up as we learn more about the devastation and loss of life.
I would suggest to those that want to help that they could start by making a donation to the Red Cross, because you know they will be in the thick of things.
If any of you have more information, or more legitimate places to donate, please let us know.
After all we are really one community sharing this planet, and what hurts one of us, hurts all of us.
Based in Portland, Oregon, the group Mercy Corps has a great reputation: https://www.mercycorps.org/
ReplyDeleteThey have staff already in place in Nepal. They have been working in Nepal prior to this and so have contacts, and networks.
DeleteElizabeth 44
We donate to Doctors Without Borders. Never the red cro$$.
DeleteAnother excellent avenue for real help, where your money actually goes to the people in need instead of administration, is "Shelter Box."
Deleteor follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
They provide EVERYTHING needed except food - a 10 person tent, a stove, fuel, pots and pans, safe water pills, toilets and a shovel to dig a latrine, blankets and other bedding, toys for the kids. Everythng needed when your house is suddenly gone. And, they have a crew that goes with the package to teach shell-shocked families how to set it all up, how to use the stove, water pills, etc. It's a terrific concept and doing much needed good in many places. Please look it up if you wish to donate. Canadin Country Girl
YES to the Mercy Corps shout out!
DeleteSeveral of my grad students are from Nepal. They have not been able to reach friends and family members because the telecommunications infrastructure is pretty much destroyed nationwide. So phone coverage is sketchy at best.
ReplyDeleteNepal is a small, impoverished country. The students that are able to complete their undergraduate degrees at home and then come to the US or other countries to attend graduate degrees are very fortunate and they know it.
Others make their way to countries like Dubai where they are essentially slaves, who send most of the pittance they earn back home.
This earthquake will have devastating results, not only in lives lost, but in disruption to the economy and environment.
Haiti still hasn't recovered from their own devastating earthquake after 5 years. That doesn't bode well for Nepal.
DeleteDonations to the Red Cross are essential to help the thousands who've been killed, injured, left homeless, or without food and water.
ReplyDeleteWhat you can also do is to emphasize that this earthquake is the result of India crashing into Asia 25 (twenty five) million years ago. With this dramatic and gruesome example, the Bible-thumpers who claim the Earth is 6,000 years old must re-examine their fantasy-based assumptions and begin to honor the Earth as it really is -- not as they pretend it is.
This is the result of proven, scientific facts, not fairytale stories.
O/T Speaking of donations, the majority at the pee pond today are saying they are not sending any money to Sarah unless she announces she is running. They are full of doubts about their idol.
ReplyDelete...the worm has turned. Nothing nastier than a disenchanted mob who once loved you. About fucking time, you idiots.
Delete@ 10:06: this post is not about the grifter. Try to stay on topic.
Delete10:06 Is that you Gryphen? If not then shut up.
DeleteOh it's the "topic police". Readers write O/T all the time. Complain to the blog owner if you don't like it.
DeleteNice "Christian" response: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/04/26/christian-preacher-adds-insult-to-injury-with-nepal-tweet/
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder to donate, Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteWhen faced with this natural devastation in Nepal, I get even more angry at Oklahoma and its policies, which are deliberately increasing the instability of the earth. Who knows what the long term effects will be?
This is truly heart wrenching, the poorest people on this earth having to endure such horror as being buried alive. I lived in CA for years and the slight tremors we had became so common place, not to me how ever.....it is a strange feeling where you have no control of anything. I would say to donate to the Red Cross not the other funds that will pop up. I watched the last VICE that airs after Bill Mahr and it exposed where the millions went donated to the Haiti disaster...omg, what a disgrace. If this report was shown nationwide there would never be another donation made...the people in Haiti have million dollar sports complexes built while no one has running water or plumbing right next door. I am totally convinced there is no greater force in this world than greed, American greed of the subcontractor variety. Word went out when Haiti happened...the gold rush is on, I imagine the same thing is being said about Nepal.
ReplyDeleteBoth Mercy Corp and Doctors without Borders have staff already on the ground because they have been working there. That means they have contacts and networks to get started. Of course, they will need lots and lots of staff and supplies coming in.
DeleteElizabeth 44
Don't contribute to the Red Cross - bad organization. I'd recommend highly "Drs Without Borders."
ReplyDeletePlease offer sound facts when you assert the Red Cross is "bad." Doing so can lead to some people doing nothing. You need to back up your assertion with facts.
DeleteSimply state: Doctors Without Borders is doing a good job -- and that does the job.
Repeating my post above at 9:31 - not approved yet. Please look up
Deleteor follow on Facebook or Twitter.
Please read the whole thing at the start of the comments section (9:31). So many large help organizations spend most of the money on administration costs - or are even actually corrupt.
Shelter Box is wonderful and the money really goes where you want it to. They provide everything (except food) for a family or group of ten. Large tent, stove, pots and pans, safe water pills, latrine and shovel to dig one, blankets and toys, - and severl crew to help the family set it all up and teach how to work stove, dig latrine, etc. That's where my money goes.
You can conveniently donate to the American Red Cross for Nepal relief through iTunes. Your donation is charged to your iTunes account and 100% of the amount donated goes to the Red Cross.
ReplyDeleteRed Cross is not a great charity. Too much goes to overhead. I would look elsewhere to donate. Last year the CEO was caught lying about that.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277#.VT1kZnA8KrU
DeleteRed Cross: 90.4 % to programs and services.
There are many ways to give. Pick one that speaks to you. But give.
Donate to anything BUT the Red Cross. IF 9/11 reconfirmed anything to me, it's how little money goes to what is needed. My now deceased father warned me of them after his service in the Korean War.
ReplyDeleteI personally witnessed the massive destruction from hurricane Andrew in S. Florida, and can tell you with certainty that just sending one team and a million dollars from the US is embarrassing. Republicans will be reluctant to send any meaningful help since its didn’t occur in the US, and it won’t effect their re-election. I’m sure we’ll send more, but how much we’ll send all depends on the Republicans since it occurred outside of the US, and will probably have very little or no effect on their re-election. I’m sure they’re also depending on the religious organizations to give the most help from the US. I also have serious doubts the Koch brothers will even donate $1.00 for the recovery.
ReplyDeleteI remember when a major weather event (hurricane or a tornado?) hit Virginia around 2010 in former Republican Representative Eric Cantor’s district. He told them afterwards he didn’t even know if the US could help at all and that it depended if they could find any money in the current budget to help them. I’m sure that went over real well with his constituents and may have had some effect with him loosing his re-election in 2012.
Climate Change, melting glaciers, loss of weight on top of Himalayas, geologic rebound = massive earthquakes.
ReplyDeleteDisasters like this are so overwhelming that it's difficult to even imagine where to start. The survivors are in pain, many in shock and won't feel the full weight for weeks. The one organization I always trust is Doctors Without Boarders because the help remains to help with survivor's guilt, logistics, etc. I remember when 911 happened, Dover Air Force Base had piles of body bags. We would go every weekend to welcome home the troops, anyway, when we got the all clear to drive over there some five weeks later, the piles of body bags kept piling up but to my knowledge, they didn't get delivered to New York two months later. BUT disasters like this bring out the best in humanity.
ReplyDeleteGive what you can to any charity of your choice, but give. It usually comes back to you in your time of need.
Having been through the 7.9 magnitude Denali Fault quake in 2002 I can sympathize with how shaken these people were given the size of the event. We had massive damage in AK, roads and a few structural events but our State is very lightly populated and the region in Nepal has a huge cluster of humanity packed very closely and hence the casualties. I will be sending my thoughts to them and theirs and to my friends that are at base camp on Everest, many of whom have not checked in with loved ones and climbing organizations since the quake.
ReplyDeleteHere's a person with long-standing ties to Nepal, who has started a GoFundMe campaign to get funds directly to a trusted friend in Kathmandu. It's a way to make an immediate impact.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gofundme.com/szfhvs
I can say with surety that the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is already on the ground there, working. UMCOR is active around the world, doing all sorts of relief efforts. **100%** of your donation goes to humanitarian relief. They take care of admin costs through a completely different way to raising funds, so when you donate to a cause, truly 100% goes to the project/disaster. From what I understand, although it's a church organization, it does NOT require any sort of church commitment--no proselytizing. Check them out: http://www.umcor.org/UMCOR/About-Us
ReplyDelete