By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, May 5: As the rescue and rehabilitation in the aftermath of Nepal’s deadly earthquake continue the death toll of Tibetans has risen to six.
Of the six Tibetans, one was from Boudha area, 1 from Swyambhu, a nun from a village near the border area and three from Langtang. Lantang is one of the worst affected villages in Nepal. One Tibetan from Swyambhu has been seriously injured.
The Tibetan government in exile has donated a sum of NPR 1600000 to Tibetan community in Nepal. Soon after the Tibetans in Nepal received help from the exile government, a relief committee was formed to oversee the distribution of funds.
The committee will provide relief to the families of those who have lost their lives in the earthquake and take care of the medical expenses of those who were injured. It will further ascertain the damages caused by the earthquake to homes, offices, schools for renovation and restoration.
A 7.9 magnitude massive earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 leaving more than 8000 people dead and thousands displaced. The Nepal government has also asked the international rescue team to leave as there is little hope of finding any survivors now.
Seventy five teams with 4050 personnel from 34 countries were involved in search and rescue operations in the 14 districts of Nepal that were majorly affected by the earthquake.
Members of regional Tibetan Youth Congress led by two executive members of Tibetan Youth Congress and monks of various Tibetan monasteries have also joined in relief work by providing food, shelter and medical assistance to the survivors.
RTYC Kathmandu has donated NPR 10,000 each to the two Tibetan families who have lost their family members in the earthquake and 5000 to a Tibetan who was injured.
Tibetans and Nepalese around the world have raised funds for the Nepal earthquake victims. In Dharamshala, Tibetan Women’s Association, National Democratic Party of Tibet, Gu Chu Sum Movement for Tibet, Students for a Free Tibet-India and Dharamshala regional chapter of Tibetan Youth Congress have raised around Rs. 300000.
In Tibet, 26 Tibetans have been confirmed dead and 800 injured, while three continue to remain missing.
The earthquake with epicenter at Gorkha district was the worst to hit the South Asian nation in more than 80 years damaging many historical monuments and buildings in Kathmandu.
Nepal’s worst recorded earthquake in 1934 measured 8.0 and caused destruction in the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.
