[grc] Fwd: [Asiapacific-general] Updates from Nepal as of May 13, 2015

[Elizabeth Robinson]

Hello All, 

I received this update from Suman on Wednesday and shared in on KCSB.  I indicated that we aren't allowed to fund raise for others but that more information could be found on the AMARC link.  Please do what you can.  

Elizabeth

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Suman Basnet <suman_basnet at asiapacific.amarc.org>
> Subject: Re: [Asiapacific-general] Updates from Nepal as of May 13, 2015
> Date: May 13, 2015 5:29:52 AM PDT
> To: <asiapacific-general at lists.amarc.org>
> 
> Please visit AMARC Asia Pacific Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMARC-Asia-Pacific/579244995449551 for regular updates and photos. 
> 
> 
> Dear colleagues and friends, 
> 
> Nepal was hit by another major earthquake of 6.8 magnitudes on Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Some international agencies have reported the magnitude higher, apparently owing to different ways of measuring. So far more than eight thousand lives have perished and more 17 thousand are injured, mostly in 14 districts in central Nepal. Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk districts in the foothills of the Himalayas were worst hit, with reports of major landslides. At least 65 people lost lives and nearly 2,000 were hurt by Tuesday's quake alone. Sadly, the figures could rise. Heavy tremors were felt in northern India too, where at least 17 have been reported to succumb. 
> 
> Unfortunately, local radios that were already hit hard by the earlier quakes, received another body blow. All houses and buildings in Dolakha district were completely brought to ground including the local radios. Reports about ground conditions are only emerging. Early assessments have shown that there could be complete information black out in Dolakha and some other districts owing to the crashing of the radios. 
> 
> AMARC and ACORAB (Nepal’s national CR association), in collaboration with several other media/radio organizations are collaborating to pull together whatever support can be made available at a short notice. An informal radio group has been formed consisting of national and international partners to address the emergency situation. The group has been meeting regularly soon after the first quake to gauge the situation and to respond in whatever way possible. There is an overwhelming demand of tents and power generators/fuel. For example, Krishi radio in the Dhading district is out in the open after its building collapsed after yesterday’s jolt. It was already in a precarious condition after the first quakes on 25th April. 
> 
> Despite extremely adverse conditions, local broadcasters are displaying amazing courage and zeal to resume broadcasting. They are playing a very important role in informing survivors of the ongoing rescue and relief operations. All kinds of ingenious ways are being devised by the radios to engage with the local populations, which include connecting mobile phones to loud speakers, community listening, setting up ad hoc studio in the open - just to mention a few. In some of the districts, there are no private operators. Hence the entire burden of maintaining flow of information has fallen on the shoulders of community radios. 
> 
> AMARC has appealed for help to rebuild quake affected community radios of Nepal. Please visit: http://www.amarc.org/?q=nepal
> 
> I will be posting more information as soon as possible. 
> 
> With warmest regards, Suman
> ____________
> Suman Basnet
> Regional Coordinator – AMARC Asia Pacific 
> M: +977 9851023499       E: suman_basnet at asiapacific.amarc.org 
> Web: http://asiapacific.amarc.org 
> Postal address: GPO Box no. 3887, Kathmandu, Nepal
>  _______________________________________________
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> Asiapacific-general at lists.amarc.org
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Elizabeth Robinson
elizabeth.robinson at kcsb.org
'No Alibis'
'Third World News Review'
KCSB FM 91.9
www.kcsb.org
University of California Santa Barbara
AMARC (World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters)