After powerful quake, Nepal likely to face sanitation problem

At 9pm, hours after the earthquake the tremors are still on, though they are getting milder compared to all afternoon. Fear has gripped Kathmandu and people are all out in the streets and open areas for fear of another round major tremors. It is dark and chilly, with no power, rather total blackout, no piped gas supply and no water supply. The biggest worry in the city now is about the sanitation problem that is going to hit by tomorrow morning. Even the big hotels which have piped gas supply are without it.

American Embassy has called in all American citizens in Nepal and given them shelter inside the closed gates.

It was national day for the Dutch today and all had gathered at the Summit Hotel, by the pool side for the celebrations. Soon as the first tremors happened, the entire swimming pool water was out of the pool and swept off everybody around it. In fact this has happened with most of the pools in Kathmandu. Surprisingly the new building have survived better than the old constructions and 200 to 300 year old temples have been reduced to the ground including the major tourist attraction the Durbar Square.

Bharatpur Medical College run by an Indian national has about 200 to 300 Indian medical students who have been evacuated and given shelter in camps. I was at the Golf course in Chitvan when the tremors first happened and the woods were swaying violently as we saw it from the golf course.

Everyone present remained in the middle of the course till about 4 pm and the animals in the woods hid inside all day.

With barely any connection with the world outside, Himalayan Times is bringing out a black bordered earthquake edition with only local news tomorrow and we are trying hard to put what we can together at the moment.

(Writer is editorial advisor at Himalayan Times)