By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, May 28: The Tibetan government in exile, while noting that the situation of Tibetans being critical, expressed its appreciation of the works done by various NGOs, monasteries and individuals in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 and later.
Tibetan Minister Ngodup Tsering who holds the Education portfolio and Ngodup Dorjee, Head of Social and Resource Development Fund (SARD) under Department of Finance addressed a prss conference upon their return from Nepal to asses the situation.
Ngodup Tsering visited Tibetan settlements, schools, Tibetan Reception Centre, Factories, Old-Age Home and Offices in Kathmandu and Jhokel area from May 18 to 21. He also added that Songtsen School and both Namgyal High and Middle School are majorly damaged.
Tsering described the situation in Nepal as critical and that people are psychologically disturbed. He also noted that his department is planning to organize Post-trauma counselling for students.
Ngodup Dorjee visited Tibetan settlements in Pokhra, Shabru and Thempo region in Raluway from May 13 to 19. He said though the earthquake has not caused any serious destruction in Pokhra a few houses have sustained cracks from the tremors that shook the Himalayan nation squuezed between Tibet and India. He also expressed concerns for those Tibetans living outside in tent as weather remains unpredictably harsh.
More than 8000 people were killed and thousands injured in Nepal by the two earthquakes on April 25 and May 12 measuring 7.9 and 7.3 on Richter scale respectively.
Around 200 aftershocks were felt in Nepal with one this morning and People in Nepal continue to live on empty spaces as the country is still experiencing aftershocks.
Thirteen Tibetans died in the two earthquakes and severa werel injured. A sum of NPR 50,000 is donated to the family who have lost a member and a sum of NPR 1,00,000 to the family who have lost more than one family member. A sum of NPR 10,000 will be donated to family whose houses are damaged by the earthquake. to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Tibetan government in exile donated a sum of NPR 56,00,000 to Tibetan community in Nepal and NPR 21,00,000. Soon after the Tibetans in Nepal received help from the exile government, a relief committee has been formed to oversee the distribution of funds and monitor relief efforts.
The earthquake of April 25 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.
