Key facts about the Nepal quake, one week on

[Lite Beer]

Key facts about the Nepal quake, one week on
Agence France-Presse
KATHMANDU

A week on from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal, flattening large parts of the capital Kathmandu and causing devastation across the impoverished Himalayan nation, here are some key facts about the disaster.

- Death toll -

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- 6,621 people are known to have died in Nepal alone and 14,023 others were injured

- More than 100 people were killed in neighbouring India and China

- 18 climbers died at Mount Everest base camp when the quake sparked an avalanche

- Two Americans, an Australian, a Japanese and a Chinese national were among the victims on the mountain

- 1,000 European Union citizens are missing, the EU says

- 12 others from EU countries have been confirmed dead

- Survivors -

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- Eight million people, or around a quarter of Nepal’s population, have been affected, the United Nations estimates

- 2.8 million Nepalese were displaced

- More than 3.5 million people are estimated to be in need of food assistance

- 1.7 million children are in need of humanitarian aid in the worst-hit areas, according to UNICEF

- Aid -

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- Rescuers from 22 countries are involved in the relief effort while $61 million has been pledged, according to the UN

- Britain has promised $15 million

- $12.5 million has been pledged by the United States

- $15 million is being released from the UN’s emergency fund

- The UN has appealed for $415 million while UNICEF is seeking to raise $50.35 million

- The United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization has appealed for $8 million for farmers

- The World Food Programme says it needs US$116.5 million to provide food for 1.4 million people

- Reconstruction -

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- 160,786 homes were destroyed and another 143,673 damaged

- The UN says that up to 90 percent of health facilities in four districts were severely damaged

- Some 16,000 schools were damaged

- Reconstruction costs could top $5 billion -- around 20 percent of the country’s GDP -- according to business research consultancy IHS

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Key-facts-about-the-Nepal-quake-one-week-on-30259215.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-02

[talisman01]

According to BBC news today Nepal has yet to receive any of the funds pledged by the various governments. Their Finance Minister said that "Not a single dollar has been deposited into government accounts."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32561985

[NickJ]

Nor will any big payments ever be seen....C O R P T U T I O N .....spells coruption, .....sad but to true........the human condition.

[reptile91602]

I put thisin my facebook.

My wife and I came out of Nepal just 18 hours before the quake hit. I have been going there for some 30 years now and I can tell you directly that you couldn't find, in the world, a more loving group of people as the Nepalese. There is little serious crime in Nepal because of the unity they feel towards each other and outsiders as well but unfortunately they have had terrible kings and politicians steal everything from them over the years and left them with a country, much of which looked trashed even before the earthquake hit. Make sure that the charity you choose has nothing to do with the Nepalese government and you will be helping these people in a big, big way. They truly could use your help!

[thaibeachlovers]

It would seem that after the previous earthquake they just rebuilt the same substandard buildings, which fell down again.

Will they do better this time?

[reptile91602]

They will build the same as they are the poorest country in the world outside of Africa and since much of the money donated will go through the gov. it will not go towards building proper homes or helping the people. After spending lots of time in Nepal and in Thailand it is amazing how far Thailand has come and how little the Nepalese have grown as a country. People can criticize Thailand for its corruption but it is no where as bad as Nepals. There are lots of reasons but seeing how you can't get anything done here in Thailand on your own home or property without huge headaches it is strange to watch how messed up it is in Nepal.

[boomerangutang]

I went trekking there about 12 yrs ago, and it was a fine trip. A few times I communed with Nepalese kids who were far from cities. We sang Hindu songs together (I learned some tunes at an Ashram in California). The further back in the hills a person gets, the further back in time it feels. very satisfying.

[DaveE13]

One of my Security Guards that work for me in Central london is an ex Gurkha his wife flew to Nepal Thursday and was missing for a while.

Poor Arjun rang me this morning and said she is ok and rang him Sunday evening to say she is safe.

He must of been in bits waiting to hear from her.