Scarcely a Survivor: Thousands of Shocked Survivors of the Nepal Earthquakes Come to Terms With New Reality

By Felicia L. Warren On May 19, 2015

The people of Nepal desperately in need of aid and resources as searches continue through the ruble of former villages for survivors after what is “the country’s worst natural disaster in more than 80 years”.

As Mother Nature does not discriminate, global poverty can affect anyone, anywhere in the world. A disastrous earthquake struck Nepal 50 miles from Kathmandu with destructive force. The death toll rises as search teams and loved ones continue to sift through mountains of village ruble, in desperate hope for survivors.

There are countless people of mixed origins and backgrounds still missing. The earthquake took numerous lives as buildings crumbled and boulders tumbled down mountainsides. Despite the dismal death tolls, “there have been stories of survival, of families reconnecting with loved ones days after the disaster”.

One survivor remembers the after images, forever marked in her memory. The scenes like a war zone, and she recalls, “The worst part was the smell of rotting flesh, which permeated the air…” Many survivors are trying to cope with new realities after the earthquake drastically changed their lives.

The UNHCR has responded actively to the disaster as Daisy Dell, their director of the Asia-Pacific bureau, states, “…thousands of people have been killed, injured, or displaced in the disaster. These numbers are still rising with frequent aftershocks and as rescue teams reach remote areas”. These humanitarian efforts are a small beacon of hope to people who heavily rely on aid in these days following tragedy.

With resources such as shelter and even something taken for granted, like light, robbed from the people of Nepal, the UNHCR is currently providing plastic sheets and solar lamps, funded by generous donations, in an effort to give back any amount of stability to these survivors.

The UNHCR has taken this matter very seriously and took on the responsibility of flying in “shelter materials for some 34,000 earthquake survivors in Nepal, with more supplies on their way as the number of displaced people approaches 3 million”. Countless local community organizations as well as

international groups such as “Save the Children” are distributing these resources to the affected areas.

Craig Sanders, a representative of the UNHCR in Nepal, comments on the necessity of these resources, and claims “many people are unable to return to their ruined homes and they are spending their days and nights in the open. The timely delivery of the tarpaulins will help people with temporary shelter protection in far-flung villages”.

Nepal villages are left in shambles, a mere memory of what once was. Mother Nature reminds humanity of her might. However, despite adversities, humanity rises above with a might of its own. Survivors of the earthquake continue to reassemble their lives as others aid them with resources and compassion.

Resources

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/asia/nepal-earthquake-survivors-social-media/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/26/asia/nepal-earthquake/index.html

http://unhcr.org/554b5bf16.html

http://unhcr.org/553e2baa6.html