I was so scared reading this. What is this?

EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATES ENTIRE NATION
By Sanjog Rai


Only a fraction of Kathmandu left

KATHMANDU—Three days have passed since the devastating earthquake hit Nepal on Friday, wiping out most parts of Kathmandu. The magnitude 9.3 earthquake, which lasted nearly 12 minutes, is being called the deadliest disaster in recent history by the international media.

While initial estimates had put the death toll at 52,034, the latest analysis complied by the United Nations (UN) lists a total of 531,495 people lost, including 231,149 dead and 83,234 missing.

Nearly 82.5% of the buildings in Kathmandu have been reported completely damaged.

With the capital's food supplies running scarce, huge amounts of food are currently being airlifted from neighboring countries, including India and China. Once in Kathmandu, they are being distributed through local agencies that are still functioning.

Already 3,500 volunteers have arrived in Kathmandu for search and rescue missions that could go on for months. Another 8,200 volunteers are also being arranged by 15 countries for similar missions; they are expected to reach Kathmandu by Monday.

More than US$1 billion in humanitarian aid and reconstruction have also been pledged by several countries. The United States, on top of its US$120 million contribution, has also promised 15 country musicians to raise funds.

Currently taking refuge in an unknown military base, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has released a statement requesting citizens to "keep fighting and struggling", and that "help will come".

Despite being horribly disfigured from the earthquake, several local artistes—including Robin & the New Revolution, 1974 A.D., Madzone, Nirnaya NSK, Nepsydaz, and Mukti & the Revivals—have also shown incredible courage by agreeing to perform at Tundikhel on Wednesday "to raise the morale of our people". The concert is being dubbed, "The gathering of the most hideous since the Rolling Stones".

However, death toll is still on the rise. Hundreds of survivors are dying of treatable diseases like flu and infections each day due to mismanagement of funds and resources by local agencies.

A report by the American embassy also suggests that the number of missing may be actually lower, with half of the number simply being added from the number of Nepalis hiding out in the U.S.

Rival political groups have also come together with a message: "We now realize that beyond all the bloodshed and bureaucracy, we are all quite f-----".

Posted on: 2007-06-24 21:50:10 (Server Time)

http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=113771