SEISMIC SHOCK IN CATMANDU (Satis Shroff)

EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATES EVEREST COUNTRY (Satis Shroff)

The birds are flying in panic in the sky over the Durbar Square and Basantapur, Asan Tole like in a scenario from an Alfred Hitchcock film. The temples on which they formerly roosted have been pulverised and what has remained are gigantic conical heaps.

The famous Nautale Durbar temple in the Basantapur Square has been destroyed and the white neo-classical Rana palace from where the former kings and royalty of Nepal used to greet the folk is also partially damaged. The Dhara tower, about which we Nepalese used to read about and the exploits of Junga Bahadur Rana, has also been demolished. At least 1000 people have died, 1700 injured, and the death toll is expected to be more under the piles of earth, wood and bricks.

A strong earthquake lasting almost 2 minutes hit Kathmandu this morning, 7.9 on the Richter scale, according to USGS. The epicentre lies 80 km north-west of Kathmandu, with a range of 15 km. The worst thing about the quake is that multiple tremors are expected to come. The area of the earthquake hit also Pokhara to the west of Kathmandu. The major quake was felt in New Delhi, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Nepal is a tectonically active area, and the birth of the Himalayas was due to the collision of the Indian subcontinent against the Asian landmass, according to Alfred Wegener's Continental Drift theory. The earthquake could be felt up to Mount Everest and it caused avalanches. The Indian tectonic plate pushed against the Asian land mass at the rate of 45 cm per year. There is always tension along the Himalayas and the movement of the earth cannot be predicted.

Since April is the mountaineering season, it might be remembered that 350 international groups have been climbing permission to climb the Everest, despite the fact that many Nepalese porters and Sherpas died in an avalanche last year. The Sherpas fear that many climbers are buried in their tents at the Everest Base Camp and below the Khumbu Icefall, the scene of mountain tragedies in the past years. It has been confirmed that 18 climbers have died. Lamjung has been flattened. It is hoped that the groups that are already in the base camp and Kala Pathar will descend safely to Kathmandu.

Old houses, the famous Durbar Square and historical buildings made out of bricks and wood around Basantapur have toppled and are now big heaps on which young Nepalese potter around hoping to head signs of human life buried under the crumbled buildings. Kathmandu's Tribhuuvan international airport is closed.

Meanwhile, the people in Kathmandu are seen running about in the streets, crammed with segments of brick walls and wooden struts of temples with exquisite carvings and houses. You can hear people speaking loudly, shouting nervously, crying out their troubled souls in Nepali and Newari. Those who have motorbikes are trying to snake their way through the rubble and worried, helpless people, trying to help or paralysed by the magnitude of the damage caused by the impact of the quake.

Much like the Japanese, the Nepalese are also used to earthquakes in this tectonically unstable country and there have been earthquakes at different periods. Earlier in January 31, beautiful Pokhara was jolted by an earthquake, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, where panic stricken Nepalese and tourists ran to the open paddy fields.

Running for the open spaces is the right thing to do and the Kathmanduites made for the parade ground called Tudikhel near the former Royal Pavillion where normally military parades and horse races take place, and where the youngsters play soccer and friends meet. The motorbikes re parked haphazardly on the green grass of Tudikhel. The people are nervous. Will there be another tremor soon? How soon? How intense? By the way, I was planning to go to Kathmandu at the end of May. I wonder is the Tribhuvan international airport opens till then? Yes, and I'm worried about my friends in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Are my near and dear ones safe? The green parade ground is much safer which provides a big, open space unlike the narrow lanes and streets of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan where bricks can fall on your head.