Qatar Red Crescent has issued an emergency appeal to raise QR12mn for the relief of quake victims
AFP/Reuters
Kathmandu
A massive earthquake killed more than 1,300 people yesterday as it tore through large parts of Nepal, toppling office blocks and towers in Kathmandu and triggering a deadly avalanche at Everest base camp.
The home ministry said the death toll had reached 1,382, making it the quake-prone Himalayan nation’s worst disaster in more than 80 years.
But the final toll from the 7.8 magnitude quake could be much higher, and dozens more people were reported killed in neighbouring India and China.
Emergency workers fanned out across the Himalayan nation to rescue those trapped under collapsed homes, buildings and other debris.
Offers of help poured in from governments around the world, with the US and the European Union announcing they were sending in disaster response teams.
In Doha, Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) issued an emergency appeal to raise QR12mn for the relief of earthquake victims and allocated QR1mn for emergency operations.
Kathmandu was severely damaged, and the historic nine-storey Dharahara tower, a major tourist attraction, was among buildings brought down.
The US Geological Survey initially measured the quake at 7.5 magnitude and later adjusted it to 7.8, with a depth of 15km.
Nepal and the rest of the Himalayas are particularly prone to earthquakes because of the collision of the Indian and Eurasia plates.
The thrust of the India plate beneath Eurasia generates a large amount of seismic activity, the USGS says on its website.
Nepali
expats
in shock
Members of the Nepali community in Qatar were in shock yesterday after news of deaths and destruction poured in following the massive earthquake that rocked the Himalayan country.
Most of the Nepali expatriates Gulf Times spoke to said their families and relatives were safe though some of them said their houses had suffered damage and they had lost dear ones.
All of them were shocked at the large-scale destruction of houses, monuments, temples, roads and bridges in addition to the loss of thousands of lives.
“It will take days to fathom the real loss of lives and property because many of the affected villages lie in remote areas, which are hard to access even during normal times,” a person familiar with the country said.
Qatar is home to about 400,000 Nepali workers.
Qatar Airways cancels Kathmandu flights
Qatar Airways yesterday cancelled its two flights to Kathmandu following the temporary closure of the Tribhuvan International Airport in the Nepalese capital.
The airline, in a travel alert, said its flights QR646 and QR650 from Doha to Kathmandu and QR647 and QR651 from Kathmandu to Doha have been cancelled.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and work closely with our local team and authorities to ensure return to scheduled operations as soon as possible. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remains Qatar Airways’ highest priority,” Qatar Airways said.
Passengers booked on the affected flights are advised to contact their travel agent or Qatar Airways 24-hour call centre on +968 2416 2700 or +974 4023 0000 for rebooking options.
Meanwhile, the Qatari embassy in Nepal has said that all Qatari citizens and diplomats were safe. The embassy called on Qatari citizens in Nepal to be on guard, according to the official Qatar News Agency (QNA). The embassy said in a statement that citizens in need of help may call 0097714721631 and 009779802400000.
Cables of condolences
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday sent a cable of condolences to Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav on the victims of yesterday’s earthquake. “The Emir expressed his deep condolences to the president and the families of the victims, wishing the injured a swift recovery,” the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) said. HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have also sent cables of condolences to the president.
A collapsed building in Kathmandu after the earthquake yesterday.
