Return to Nepal post earthquake

A fine view of the Himalayas from Begnas

Returning to Kathmandu after a year's absence I had some idea of what I might see in terms of the April 25 earthquake damage and its affect on the people in the valley. Yes, there are some houses that fell down and some historic temples fell apart. The top of the Boudhanath Stupa was damaged so it was taken down leaving a bare top and stacks of brick ready for repairs.


However, for the most part large buildings and some the temples are still standing, perhaps supported by braces, a few pockets where loose brick buildings collapsed. Other than some minor damages here and there, the city appears fairly normal. However, things are not normal...

Boudhanath Stupa reconstruction

The real issues in Nepal right now are severe shortages due to a blockade at the Indian border by a minority Madhes group not happy with the new constitution. Fuel, food and medicines are in short supply deepening the hardship on the Nepali people. Winter is coming!

Long lines of people waiting for days for petrol and diesel for vehicles and motorbikes, waiting for half a tank of LPG gas for cooking. Now in the streets of Kathmandu and all rural areas Nepali's are using whatever available wood for cooking - scraps, tree branches and some wood distributed by some government agencies. This has caused a smoke haze all across Nepal. Flying above the haze, the Himalayas are visible, but not so at ground level.

Protest rally in Kathmandu

On Friday, November 20 I was drawn into a protest rally in Lazimpat, an area just north of central Kathmandu. This was similar to rallies across Nepal. The government is doing nothing to alleviate the blockade and is still, unbelievably, holding about 4 Billion US for reconstruction. Not a rupee has been put to use to help the people. Shameful. It has been NGO's from around the world that are acting and putting efforts into reconstruction in rural areas. The devastated Langtang valley has a well organized reconstruction committee to begin efforts to rebuild where they can and the trail has reopened for trekking. Most trekkers are safely camping as many lodges are still not repaired.

A few cracks in some old buildings and reinforcement

I just thought I would share my recent experience and hope that the blockade is removed soon with the help of the Indian government (currently NOT helping) and that reconstruction of damaged villages and homes can begin as soon as possible.

Feel free to email me if you need information on current conditions or need to connect with a travel agent or guides in Nepal. (nhaggard@telus.net)

Nalang School update

It has been about 5 months since the earthquake in Nepal. Despite news reports of devastation in some remote areas and especially the Langtang village, all trekking areas are open with the exception of Langtang. Many homes in the hardest hit areas of Gorkha and Sindupalchok were flattened and of course, the schools also hard hit. Education is so important and this will be a generation who will always remember the big earthquake!

The Nalang school in Dhading district is about 20 km away in the next valley over from the epicenter close to Gorkha and was also damaged. Nearly all the homes in Nalang village were badly damaged and people now living in temporary shelters during monsoon, some only under tarps just surviving. As soon as the monsoons stop (usually by the end of September) more rebuilding of village homes and schools will take much of their focus this fall and winter.

In January and February this year we were adding 2 more rooms to the 5 built 3 years ago. As you will see, the new wing is also badly damaged and will require much work to ensure it is safe for use again.

There has been a temporary shelter for school, but not all children are able to be accommodated. The fund raising activities and donations from many of my friends, yogis, relatives and many others amounted to about $7500 of which half was used right after the earthquake for emergency food, shelter, medicines, etc. and support of MSF - Doctors without Borders.

I will be sending the other half in November when I return to Nepal with a group heading into Bhutan. These funds will be used to buy supplies like cement and wood frames, doors, etc to rebuild the Nalang school.

It is so important that we travel to Nepal now as food, water, hotels and transportation is safe. This is a way to support the local people as the Nepal government is doing very little outside of Kathmandu. Our porters, guides, taxis, hotel staff, restaurants, shops, etc. will all benefit from tourism coming back.

Currently tourism is down 50% to 90%. However, Nepal is recovering, many cultural sights are not damaged and it is still worth seeing these amazing World Heritage sights and experiencing the culture of Nepal. Please email me if you have any questions! And huge thanks to all who have donated to this school and help with its recovery!
Namaste, Neil

Temporary classroom

Lok and students at Nalang school grounds

Temporary shelter 

Nepal Earthquake

As folks know there was a major earthquake in Nepal, April 25 which registered 7.9 on the Richter. The epicenter was in Gorka, about 100 kms west from Kathmandu however, it shook the whole valley through to Everest Base Camp. Apparently Kathmandu rose 1 meter in elevation! and Mt. Everest shrunk about 1cm. The last major earthquake was in 1934, and geologists were predicting another major shake up anytime. Some even said in March 2015! The Indian plate is subducting (pushing under) under the Eurasian plate which has been forming the Himalayas for eons.

There were many injuries and deaths in the Kathmandu valley and it seems the newer buildings withstood the shocks and aftershocks fairly well. Homes that did not collapse were cracked or damaged in some way. The old cultural buildings took on the most damage. So it seems Kathmandu was NOT reduced to a pile of rubble. Some cracked roads, damaged buildings (mostly made of brick) and unfortunately injured people overwhelming the medical system for a week.

The real devastation was in the rural areas! Many villages for 100km west and about 50km east of Kathmandu were demolished. The rural areas are where the bulk of Nepal's population live in stacked stone houses that are held together by gravity, not so much from anything like mortar, rebar, etc. That is why when the ground shook, so many houses simply fell apart causing all kinds of injuries, deaths and damage to property.




The Nepali people WILL recover! They are already rebuilding, repairing and recovering with what they have left. Many have no money to buy better materials and will simply use or reuse what they have. Currently their needs in villages such as Ghorka, Nalang, Sindhupalchok - Lamjung, Dhading and Langtang districts.

My beloved village of Langtang was almost totally obliterated by a rock, snow and ice avalanche that wiped out 50+ lodges and homes, and 400+ villagers. Such a tragedy there. My friend Jangbu, who just built the new Tibet Guest House (in which we have stayed with 2 trekking groups), we have found was up in a higher village of Kyanjin Gompa and is safe. His wife and children were in Kathmandu at the time and are safe. I lost some dear friends in this and I understand there are about 30 orphaned children as a result. See my photo from November 2014, and the day after the earthquake and landslide!

What is left of Langtang village...

What is looked like before the earthquake!

Durbar Square damage in Kathmandu