Olivia Wolff / Doctor / International Porter Protection Group
UK doctor Olivia Wolff was working at Gokyo when the first earthquake struck. She was in Kathmandu when the second hit. Her experience brought home to her how frightening it can be to live in an earthquake-prone country, as well as the challenges and the needs that Nepal now faces.
I had been warned that Nepal was an earthquake-prone country and that a large tremor was expected anytime soon. When I first arrived in hectic Kathmandu and wandered through the narrow streets, looking up at all the high-rise buildings, it crossed my mind that it would be an absolute disaster if an earthquake hit this city, but it never occurred to me that it might happen whilst I was there. Those things happen to other people. Well, not this time.
Saturday 25 April
I was visiting the country as a volunteer with the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG), running a rescue post in the Gokyo valley, high up in the Sagarmartha National Park. Teamed up with two other doctors, we aimed to provide treatment for trekkers, guides, porters and local people, as well as give daily talks about altitude illness and porter welfare.
The season had started with us having to dig our way into the rescue post as there was an unexpectedly large amount of snow. Gradually it began to thaw and the clinic became busier as more trekkers passed through. By mid-April, it was starting to feel more like Spring and the work was winding down. It had been a quiet morning on Saturday 25th and we were just sitting down to a tasty egg and chips, when all of a sudden the ground began to shake. We knew immediately that it could only be an earthquake, and lunch was quickly abandoned as our natural instinct made us run outside. It seemed to last for an eternity but must have been as little as a minute. Thankfully, our building was a bungalow, and even though we were in a valley, there was no risk of an avalanche coming down on top of us.
It was a very surreal feeling, and after it stopped, we just looked at each other, all thinking the same thing, ‘Did that actually happen?’ Our building appeared to suffer only a small amount of damage, to the low wall surrounding the clinic, but when we ambled around the village, the damage was much more significant, with some of the buildings completely uninhabitable. The mood was strange, with people standing around outside, not quite sure what to do. A few local women were crying, in an understandable response to the shock of losing their homes and livelihoods. We were amazed that no-one had been injured, only a very minor bruise to someone’s arm.
Aftershocks
The next few days saw a series of aftershocks of varying magnitude. Out of the seven lodges in the Machermo village, only two were safe enough to continue accommodating trekkers. The families of the destroyed lodges opted to sleep in tents, whilst storing their furniture under tarpaulins. Everyone was afraid to sleep indoors in case another big earthquake came during the night. Nerves became increasingly frayed with each aftershock.
Initially, the only form of communication we had was radio, as phone lines were dead, but after a few days, the connections had been re-established, and we were able to receive more information about the extent of the earthquake. With a magnitude of 7.8, the initial quake had flattened large parts of Kathmandu, whilst causing devastation across the nation. 8,676 people are known to have died, and more than 22,000 have been injured across the country. Everest base camp was also badly hit when the quake triggered an avalanche, claiming 18 lives and causing multiple casualties.
The Second Quake
One of the other doctors and I tried to help with the rescue efforts. We joined up with the charity Australian Himalayan Foundation (AHF), which has strong links with the Solukhumbu district, an area encompassing the valleys below the Everest region. We spent a week walking from village to village, reviewing damage to houses and schools, handing out tents, sleeping bags and medicines as required. Many areas seemed to be relatively unaffected and were going on with their daily lives, but as is always the case, the villages that were worst hit happened to be the poorest. AHF plans to use the money that has been donated to focus on the badly affected areas and help them with efforts to re-build.
The second big earthquake hit on Tuesday 12 May, with a magnitude of 7.3. We had just returned to Kathmandu and checked into our hotel. We were on the second floor when the whole building started shaking. It was ten times more terrifying than the first one, being in a busy built up area, with the stairs moving from side to side as we ran down as fast as we could.
Outside on the street, people were running in all directions, screaming in panic. There was no open space nearby to go to, so we just had to stand at a crossroads and hope that the buildings around us were stable enough to withstand the tremors. Fortunately for us they were, however, this time I was aware of the possible aftershocks, and felt much more vulnerable.
Leaving Nepal behind?
I now realise how awful it was, is and will be for the local people to live in fear of further earthquakes. It will take some time for the tectonic plates to settle. As my plane set off back to the UK the following morning, I felt guilty for being able to escape the situation. Life is unfair. I have no doubts whatsoever that the Nepalese are a resilient people who will work hard at getting themselves back onto their feet. However, we must remember that Nepal is still a developing country. They need help with funds for day-to-day living and building materials, as well as people with appropriate skills set to assist them. Living through two earthquakes is an experience that I will never forget. It has certainly strengthened my bond with Nepal.
Donate
If you would like to help, please consider donating to Community Action Nepal, the Australian Himalayan Foundation, the International Porter Protection Group or the Disasters Emergency Committee.
