Devastating earthquake in Nepal

http://www.nepalmountainnews.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/nepal-earthquake-09.jpg

Saturday April 25th, about noon Nepal time, an earthquake measuring 7.8  in the Lamjung region (between Pokhara & Kathmandu, near the start of the Annapurna Circuit) hit Nepal, with devastating results. This was a major shallow earthquake, with continuing aftershocks, affecting all of Nepal. The death toll is rising and certainly far more than the ~2500 deaths currently indicated. Buildings ancient and new in cities and villages have collapsed everywhere -- leaving untold numbers homeless and injured. In the mountains, avalanches have occurred, sweeping away villages (Dhunche, in the Langtang region) and climbing camps (avalanches at the Everest Base Camp have killed many locals and climbers).  Communications are difficult -- early reports are primarily from the Kathmandu Valley and the Khumbu (Everest) regions -- so it will take time to understand the true scope of the disaster. 

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world (rated 19th poorest, with per capita annual income of about $750). To us, coming from such wealth in the west, life for so many Nepalese seems so difficult. Yet, we have always felt the Nepalese to be wonderful people who face adversity in their day-to-day lives with remarkable strength and spirit. (That's a major reason we keep returning to Nepal.)  Having been to Nepal 12 times (most recently, 2014), we have long been concerned for the people of Nepal. This earthquake will only make life so much more difficult for the Nepalese.

Nepal needs help. 

Please consider donating to a charity providing disaster relief to Nepal:

CANADA
Canadian Red Cross:
https://secure.redcross.ca/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=172921

Unicef Canada
https://secure3.unicef.ca/site/Donation2?df_id=3260&3260.donation=form1&s_locale=en_CA&s_src=15DIEM01NPE

Oxfam Canada
https://secure.oxfam.ca/?project=Earthquake%20in%20Nepal

MSF/Doctors without Borders Canada
https://msf.donorportal.ca/MSFEN/Donation/DonationDetails.aspx?L=en-CA&G=21&F=545&T=GENER



USA
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Responding-to-78-Magnitude-Earthquake-in-Nepal

Unicef USA
https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/nepal-earthquake-help-children-now/24226

Oxfam USA
https://secure2.oxfamamerica.org/page/content/nepal_earthquake/


MSF/Doctors without Borders USA
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/



UNITED KINGDOM

British Red Cross 
http://www.redcross.org.uk/nepalearthquake


Unicef UK
http://www.unicef.org.uk/landing-pages/Donate-Nepal-Earthquake/

Oxfam UK
https://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/nepal

MSF/Doctors without BordersUK
http://www.msf.org.uk/country-region/nepal-earthquake-emergency-response



Other countries: search for the above in your country