Just before noon on Saturday, April 25th, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck about 50 miles to the northwest of Kathmandu, in Gorkha district. This earthquake has been devastating, particularly to the old sections of Kathmandu. Many historical structures, such as Dharahara tower, Basantapur Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square, have collapsed. The worst hit regions after the Kathmandu Valley include Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Dolakha, Dhading, Gorkha, and Everest, where the earthquake triggered avalanches. The death toll so far is at 2500, and is likely to rise as more information comes out of the worst-hit areas. Since the earthquake, the region has continued to be hit by aftershocks, with more than a dozen stronger than magnitude 5. As a result, even those whose houses are still standing cannot use them, because of the ongoing risk of collapse. Tens of thousands are camping out. There is a desperate need for food, water, sanitation, medical supplies, and shelter. 

Friends of Nepal is launching a short-term fundraising campaign to help the victims of the earthquake. We have identified two hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan Hospital and Bir Hospital, which are working around the clock to treat people injured in the quake. We have vetted the hospitals and are confident that any money donated to them will be used immediately and directly to help earthquake victims. Starting immediately, we are collecting money for these two hospitals. Any money donated to Friends of Nepal before May 2, 2015 will go to these two hospitals, and we are adding $3000 of our own money as well. We encourage you to donate immediately by copying/ pasting this link into your browser:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CWEBCT8F344H6

You can also paypal $ directly to:  DONATE@FRIENDSOFNEPAL.COM

Update on April 30:

Second Letter from Patan Hospital

thanks god! the situation is slowly improving, few and only mild tremors since yesterday, the oncalls and emergency department staff with few addtional helf plus all standby are now able to manage. since last night people are now able to spend night indoor, we also returned home in evening after being in hospital since saturday

influx of injured has decreased significantly..though it will take longer to resume regulat services till be have assessed (already started) the hospital buildings, staff qtr and students hostel. patients are stil on ground floor. the backlog of 50 plus ortho cases are clearing, as we do not have regular operating schedule. shops are still not open, likely from tomorrow, orhto team are getting the implants and fixater (which are quite expensive) from suppliers (we do not keep stock), hospital will ‘sit guarantee’, rest of the supplies we provided from our own pharmcy and store billing the patents when they are discharged.(and we feel proud that we have only fully functional system in country)… at present all disaster services we are providng free.

the governement seems ill coordinated, for first three days even in ktm where it was easy with road, electricity and telecom functioning, people simply stayed out of house whereever they could ( some shades, tents distributed) no provision for water, sanitation…and similarly very little rescue effort for those burried, still many are trapped, a team of chinese with robots, dogs and trained team in ktm has been able to dig out 7-8 people alive. with passing time, and rain… cases of ‘age, urti’ will flare..
thanks again, all of you, for your kindness n love for the people in need in nepal.

little efforts has been to dispatch rescue team outside ktm, the most heat areas in remote gorkha, sidhupalchowk etc. yest one elderly patient with ribs fracute from near by lalitpur/ph/pahs about 12 km away up in hills said many are still trppaed, no rescue has reached them, could reach patan hosp as the could still wlak n had remaining family n friends. patan and manuy hospitals and medicso can easily spare few hundreds drs plus the students who have been so very much helpful. the influx of medical team from outside without coordination and staying in ktm can can contribute less.

still we are lucky to have gotten away from this devastating disaster, nothing near the earlier projections, since last couple of years, expecing 4 hundred thousands injured and 40 thousands casualities…that most hopsirtal will collapse and become non functional… same with roads and telecom…this did not happen…seems god still had mercy for people of nepal. mostly th old mud/stone/brick houses in ktm valley collapsed causing caualties…similarly many villages outside in hard hit areas have suffered most of the causalities.

thank you all dear friends for you kind support.
Prof. Dr Jay N Shah, former vc/president Patan Academy of Health Sciences

Update on April 28:

Letter from Patan Hospital

We received the letter below from Friends of Patan Hospital, a nonprofit which has been sending tens of thousands of dollars of support to Patan Hospital since 2002, on April 28th.