During the early childhood days Grandma used to explain us about the terrible quake that occured in 1990 B.S.
Pari and I used to listen to her stories with interest. We had never imagined such big quakes that appeared in grandma's mythical anecdotes would turn out into reality.
It was the afternoon of April 25th,2015. Five of us (Bimala, Sambriddhi, Tulasa,Susmita and me) were sitting in the same room of Mayadevi block,IAAS busy with our own stuffs. All of sudden, the bed was in motion and the fan and everything around shivered. Not knowing how to react with this unusual stimulus we were reactionless for a moment. In the meantime, Sambriddhi and Bimala they ran out crying and screaming and three of us creeped under the bed.We were too scared. Those two girls came inside asking us to come out. And yes,I remembered the funniest thing back then.During that time the twitter fever was too high. So,Tulasa was too busy tweeting about the quake from under the bed.This time,We all ran out to the ground together. By that time, everyone was out there in the ground infront of the previous library. We could see fears and uncertainities in the eyes of everyone! Our phones were networkless and we all were contactless with our families.We were restless.With much of difficulty we managed to contact with our families.
Little later we heard several unpleasant news.The ancient temples collapsed, the walls of historical dharahara crumbled, homes and monuments were burried in rubbles. The aftershocks and tremors were recurrent with rumbling noises and violent tingle. This quake shattered hundreds of thousands of houses and made people homeless and transformed them to the life of tent. Riches and lives were buried in ruins. Avalanches in mountains were triggered. Around 9000 lives were taken away and thousands other were left injured.
The fear of bigger quake troubled us. We stayed with our doors and gates of hostel wide open.Everyone gathered in the TV room to charge phones and to see the detail of the devastating quakes. Multiplugs were connected to multiplugs and the long queue of phones charging was worth watching.Everyone of us had some stories to share.There was constant sense of panic among us.We hurried in canteen,rest-rooms and bathrooms.The fear followed us everywhere.
Few days later,a notice was published in college and we got a month long vacation.Everyone of us plotted a return to our hometown.During the journey from college to Kathmandu and then to Ramechhap,I felt the quiver and the destruction of real quake.I could see the shattered buildings and monuments from closeup.The open spaces were then colorful with tents.Families and neighbours had already rushed to open space.There was fear of disease,flood,rain,landslide and animals.The future was uncertain and still is.The life in tent is full of difficulty.
The another quake of 7.3 on May 12 was a recurring nightmare. In the aftermath of these two quakes followed by hundreds of aftershocks and tremors,Nepal is totally devastated. Four cycle of Scorching summer,monsoon,terrible winter and destructive stormy season passed in tent.Another cycle is about to begin and no action is being carried out.The concerned authority is probably in hibernation.The rays of hopes are blackened due to our own spectator government.
During the whole process of reconstruction,we should keep the fact in mind that the quake of 7.8 is not the last one to hit the country.Even larger or equivalent could strike the country anytime due to stored internal energy and collision of tectoral plates.
Actually earthquake donot kill people but collapsing buildings and foundations do.But again the tragedy is that buildings and monuments in Nepal will be built from rubbles on the same style as the former and the next quake will knock them down again.
For those who have not faced it from near the quake is just a news. But for me it's a sad chapter of my life.
After 5 years of this quake we are able to rebuild our house but there are still families under tent waiting for help to complete their house.
