The earthquake of 25. April 2015, 06:11:26 UTC
(08:11 Dk time/11:56 Nepali time)-The Big One -7.8 Mw in 10 km depth, 83 km NW of Kathmandu & 181 km from Bhakanje

12. May 2015 07:05 UTC (09:05 DK / 12:50 Nepali time) - 7.3 Mw - 15 km depth - 44 km from Bhakanje
and 07:36 UTC (09:36 DK / 13:21 Nepali time) - 6.3 Mw - 15 km depth - 25 km from Bhakanje

View the film by the Danish Director Jesper Lambæk about the day when the great earthquake occurs-with our own Janaki as one of the main characters.

Watch our own video from Bhakanje Autumn 2015

DONATING to UPPER SOLU - PICTURES - MAPS
Back to Frontpage

05-01-2016:
Actually, we were pretty well prepared for what we could expect to experience during our autumn trek, and perhaps that is why we found ourselves very quickly to terms with the situation. Very few in Bhakanje had started repairing their homes, or to clean up in the ruins. It all stands just as it was after the earthquake. Walls not covered, have been washed down by monsoon rains. Weeds and grass have started growing in cracks. Woodwork show signs of rot. It's easy to see the cracks when the walls are plastered, but to look more thoroughly, where the stones are visible. Where before was a cohesive wall of stones held together by a mortar of mud and pointed with cement, it is now loose stone, which stands on top of each other. Before there needed an earthquake of more than 7 to shake the walls. Wondering how little it needs now. I wonder how much one can strengthen the walls, if the cracks are filled up with mud mortar, with or without cement. Or filling up the joining with cement again.
In Junbesi on the other side of the pass, where almost the entire village lives of hotel management and tourism, they have hurried to makeup the hotels in this way, and to wipe up the walls again and white-washed them neatly. The only hotel in Bhakanje, which really is quite intact, is the hotel in Sete, where we lived in three of the five weeks in Bhakanje. Dhamber Jirel's hotel in Kenja look almost intact, but he has himself moved down to the kitchen building, and laughing a little crooked when I ask him if he really feels comfortable with letting tourists sleep as high as 3. floor. In our own little hotel in Kenja, where Gyalzen and Ang Phuti are sleeping in their new annex of planks, we slept in a tent in the yard. The tourists looked marveling at our tent while they took the rooms at 1. and 2. flor. Interesting to experience their guides and porters refusing sleeping inside the stone building. Although I haven’t directly experienced a large earthquake myself, I have been close enough through the past half-year, to sense the fear and emergency preparedness. Just the thought being scantily dressed in the sleeping bag on the second floor to be out of the building in just a few seconds before the collapse. Or even worse, lying captured and wounded between planks and rubble.
But in reality, it has always been dangerous to live in buildings in areas with earthquake danger. It can happen at any time. Not many Nepalese have earlier in the course of their life experienced a major earthquake. The same applies to the tourists, which blithely move in. I wonder how long it should last before the Nepalese again forget the experience and fear, so everything will be normal again? In a new and well-built House the risk will be limited, even up towards a 7, and there are usually 50 years between those. But what about a thoroughly shaken house or a cosmetically facelifted? I wonder if it can cope with even a 5.5 ? And these comes with a few years apart. On the other hand, we can also start calculating on the risk by flying with domestic flight in Nepal, or driving by bus or jeep on the Nepalese roads? Whoever nothing ventures, nothing win.
In Chhirringkharka School the walls were halfway complete when the mountains started shaking; but our earthquake resistance held together the whole thing, so nothing happened. Apart from that a corner of the compound wall bulges out slightly, but the wall is so thick that it means nothing. It has actually just settled. The exterior walls are plastered up with cement. There are cement floors. Toilet building is complete; but here the cement work has to wait, because winter has arrived with severe frost. On the other hand, they are in the process of putting up wall- and ceiling panels. Namgyal is together with Nuru Tundu designing and producing steel framework for school furniture. When the frost eases, there will be set up steel and wire mesh up on top of the compound wall. Soon this nicest school across Solukhumbu will stand ready when the new school year begins in mid-April. The two cute teachers, Sommaya and Maya, I gave the task to describe their wildest educational fantasies both in the schoolyard and in the cl assrooms. They were very excited and would immediately work on the task; but here, 1 ½ month after, I still have not heard anything. Where, however, it is human to postpone to another day, when something is hard to get started; but however, it is annoying when it is right now that we have the chance, while construction is in progress.
The central part of the clinic in Chhirringkharka, as we built together with PONA 5 years ago, vibrations caused virtually no damage. A few minor cracks. But the end of the kitchen wing cracked thoroughly. The committee received 50.000 Rs for repair.
Shortly before the earthquake the last health worker moved to Kathmandu, so the clinic now for almost a year has been without management. But she was not particularly popular. Her last half-year, there were only 4-5 visitors per month. There must be at least 25 patients a month and at least twice as many drug buyers in order to produce something that looks like a minimum wage, and it was only in the Sarita's and Chhemi's glory days, that this could be achieved.
On the other hand, Bhakanje Health Post had a new Health Assistant. He is an energetic, capable and comfortable man. The former HA applied us for a soft Chair and a soft mattress for the examination couch — and was rejected. The new HA has applied to us for a lot of equipment, which is missing at the clinic. 35 surgical instruments, including bucket, floor scrubbing and doormat, as well as 73 different medicines, which will not be provided by the public, but which he believes belongs to a proper clinic. I approved - but not without conditions. He must once every 2 weeks open the clinic in Chhirringkharka. It was no problem, he said, because he had considered to do anyhow.
Ministry of Health has offered Bhakanje Health Post an upgrade with the recruitment of a lot of staff, if they can fulfill a few conditions, such as to raise a few thousand square meter plot of land for a new extended clinic. Here they have, however, run into trouble. No one will help to pay for the land, and no one is ready to donate it, and certainly not him with the most obvious properties right next to the old clinic (which by the way took partly damage). He has called the terrible price of 7000 $. I was asked whether HP would donate this amount, which I refused. If they can't figure out how to solve this problem, then it is not important enough for them. Things may also come too easy. The landowner could be offered the half, and then it will be 50 $ per household – work complete! I would rather be in to build a super-hospital later. Meanwhile, Doctors Quarter has been torn down, and we are in the process of rebuilding as soon as possible, for the new Health Assistant will like to live in it.
While we settled ourselves in Chhirringkharka, the whole Women Group from the Patale arrived. During our WEP program it was clearly the group with the most illiterate and most poor people. Those we expected so little of. Here they stood with a multiple-page Project Proposal for a Community Hall in Patale. The house, which they used to meet in, was collapsed, and all the other houses are too small. No doubt, that they had been very inspired by the Community Hall in Themjeng which we supported last year. They were a little disappointed that I did not want to pay labor costs. Only for forest workers and stone breakers and for external materials to be purchased in Kathmandu. They went home happy and allocated tasks between them. They demanded that I next year must come to a party and spend the night in the new meeting house – that I promised.
The Community House in Themjeng had been completed and had in a half-built condition survived the earthquake. High above the village, we could see that they had spotted us up there on the path, and we could see how they came swarming from the small homes. There were decorated so well with welcome portal and covered up with lunch and gifts, fine speeches, music and a few dancing girls before I cut the Red Ribbon in front of the door. The first floor was really nice, but the ground floor was baren and cold. They told me that they were about to make boards to put on the walls, but they couldn’t afford to do anything about the floor. So Anne-Marie immediately gave them 50.000 Rs to a cement floors.
We have previously deserted the people in Sagardanda because they cannot unite and work together to decide anything jointly, and then get it done. This time they however impressed us. They had ripped two of school buildings to the Foundation, stacked up the stones around it and stored useful materials in the third building. So the site is just ready to work with. We made the agreement with Pasang Tamang that as soon as he has completed the Chhirringkharka school, he shall start here. It is almost impossible to make a proper budget, because there are so many materials in stock, as we cannot measure properly; but we trust Pasang. I don't think that he has a sense how to cheat. We can see that the cheaters of the area are shaking their head on him, but he doesn't care. So we have agreed with him, that he just build per bill and reuse as many materials as possible and purchase the rest. Financing has been realized with our own Earthquake Fund together with the Rotary Club of Schwerin, Skivehus Rotary Klub, Rotary Danmarks Hjælpefond and Rotary International District Grant.
Toilet building was also almost completely collapsed. It did also in Chhimbu. It did not in Sagar-Bhakanje, but they anyhow need a new toilet for the girls. Those three toilet buildings, we must have found donors for over half a year's time.
It's pretty nice to see that the NGO, REED Nepal, has delivered 100,000 Rs to all affected schools in the area to build a Emergency School. In Chhirringkharka and Sagardanda, they had used the money for some fine and solid small buildings. Not in the Sagar-Bhakanje. Miserable and scrappy botch in the middle of the school yard. We had early explained them that the school yard soon will be a busy construction site, but the teachers had held a vote and a majority claimed that it would be too difficult for teachers to move farther away than just below the staff room. Here, a few months later, we are ready for construction, so now they were told to move out on the field of the temple. However, it was not be a simple matter, for now the temple wanted land rent for the use. It ended up with a compromise. I paid for the relocation and reconstruction of a mani wall, consisting of old stones with carved prayers. It has always been in the way, but I succeeded convincing the Gompa Committee that the new location was almost divine, so the school was allowed to borrow the land free of charge. Now the mani wall is removed, we can dig out all of its 400 cubic meters of soil and rock, so the school yard and the construction site can be expanded. Here, we cooperate with an Australian Rotary Club about the financing, and as soon as it is cleared, then we rebuild the two buildings, which are demolished to the Foundation. The Danish Skærsø-Fund has donated us money for the building, which will accommodate physics-chemistry-laboratory, library and computer lab. We build that one when the soil is removed. Also here Pasang will be responsible for the construction. He will be busy the good man, so we are counting on the fact that he can find some solid and hard-working craftsmen who can work independently, while he runs from construction site to construction site. The last two buildings must wait until we've seen how the economy works. Maybe we need to find more money.
Our project together with PONA on the improvement of teaching in the school went really well, and we could really see measurable improvements. Most teachers were far more committed (some individual was however unchanged), and the same applied to the pupils. Our talented teacher-coach from last year went to the United States, and we were in the process of seeking out a new, when the quake took away the foundation of a sound organization. We will have to wait until we've got rebuilt most of the school before we resume our training activities. But we did hand out cash prizes to the skilled and diligent pupils and to the two teachers, who make an extraordinary effort.
Kenja School had collapsed completely, and we had suggested them to move the school, now when they anyway had to start over. It is really dangerous in the narrow valley just up the river. A landslide upriver could provoke a tidal wave, which could tear the school away in seconds. They had experienced a small tidal wave some years ago, but back then, they managed to evacuate the school, which, incidentally, did not take damage. We had offered to take part in the reconstruction if they would move around the corner, but the landowner there is the same as by the Health Post, so they hadn't even asked for the price. They were now starting to rebuild in the same place for the money, which had been sent from the United States. We met this donor. One of these cheerful givers, with a good heart who just sends money without examining either before or after. He became annoyed, when I explained to him the problem, because he believed that it would not have been a problem to buy land if he had known. The money he could easily have found, he said. He was very proud of the two new buildings which only lacked the décor. Namgyal and I would have discarded them and asked to have them rebuilt from scratch; but we didn’t tell that loudly. However, we are continuing our small project delivering booklets and pencils for the poorest third of the school's pupils. It gives us some insight in the school's finances.
Chaulakharka School already before the earthquake looked like something that had been smashed, and now it didn’t appear prettier. We had informed them that we would work on a step-by-step total rebuilding of the school. Yet they had not been able to resist the temptation to build a new toilet for teachers and a new school building for money from education authorities. Both are miserable buildings for far less money than the school has received for this purpose. The school is educating up to 12 grade level with 350 students. Every 30-35 students trigger a publicly employed teacher position, so here are 11 public employees. In addition, the school has employed 5 teachers, for which they themselves have to provide remuneration. They do so by, among other things, to make cheap buildings and spend the rest to pay teacher’s salary. Now they can keep the two measly buildings while we upgrade all the rest. If we will experience trouble with the authorities, then we can show them the results of their own efforts, which are not comparable with ours.
Our first step has been taken. We have built a storehouse and hired a store manager. We have established a tractor trail up to the construction site. There is a written contract with stone breakers and forestry workers, who has already started their work. First we build 6 classrooms around a closed courtyard. Here will a part of the education go on, while we build the next buildings; but in the end it is supposed to be used for "high school" section, which should have more specialized directions and therefore need more rooms for special education.
Also our little school in Chhimbu has a little mess with the accounts. It is, after all, a mixed private and public school. Our teacher Jangbu has completely managed the accounts, which have to do with our money, but Bhimsen, as a public-sector employee, has not been accountable for the public funds in 2 ½ years now. Now I would like to know how far there is also saved on some government spending here at our school, and what they may have been used for. So we transfer no more operating funds until there is carried out full accounts for the whole period. The school, however, continue to work well in a really friendly and nice atmosphere.
Our WEP with women's projects are completed. In many ways, it was a success, although poor management eventually drove it off the rails, and the women lost interest. Some bright spots, however. In particular, the greenhouses provide a lot of energy to society, both food and financially. Hygiene standard and overall health has improved considerably. The cook training ensured that we got a lot of delicious food during our stay. Sewing machine course has secured work for a small group of women. Woman Bank works, so there are both saved and taken loan to invest in cattle, field management, vegetable garden, small industry, but also for medicals and family celebrations. It now works so well that Saru, who serves as treasurer and accountant, now can have a small salary for her work.
All 9 women's groups have micro-credit with savings and lending smaller amounts. Only one group had complete track of accounts, and they had even been able to put a little surplus into a social fund, which had posted at the hospital and helped a few poor families with a emergency shelter. The women had taken loans for investment in goats, chickens and the-bushes, but would like to have a larger inventory for lending; Anne-Marie immediately donated them 50.000 Rs.
In Chhimbu, they had also tried to keep track of accounts, but it was quite messy. They had been helped by one of our scholarship-boys, but he was evidently not the great genius. Our class 12 scholarship-girl, hump-backed Samjhana, turned out to be much better. A little short course in calculating interest while everyone was looking, and she was shining with self-confidence, while she got appreciative glances from the others. I promised them that if the accounts are in order next year, then it's their turn to get a cash premium.
Personally Samjhana anyhow got a sewing machine. When our WEP closed down, also our office in Kenja closed down. Computers and other electronic equipment we took home to the Office in Kathmandu. Office furniture went to the power company and tea project. And then there were the 4 sewing machines. Samjhana want to be a dressmaker, so her donor's gave her a sewing machine when she completed school, but unfortunately it was stolen during transport from Kathmandu. She had been very depressed about it, so now she again lighted up like a little sun. Her only problem now is that the family's house was turned into a pile of planks and stone, so they now live in a small hut of tarpaulins, but she will still arrange workroom in a corner and try to serve to expand the hut. Bankier Saru is also an accomplished dressmaker, so she got a machine in recognition of her great volunteer efforts for the Bank, and when she also got one of the laptops to her bank work, she was filled with pride and happiness. Saraswati Thami also lived in a straw hut before the earthquake, so she got the third machine, because she is so poor. She was a little embarrassed, but she smiled anyway throughout when she went away with it. The last engine was in broken, but Sakila would like to have it and repair it.
And then there is, of course, finally, our new flagship. The Tea-project. In Bhandar, on the other side of the Valley, a German, many years ago, convinced people to plant tea-bushes, and he succeeded to sell their handmade tea with high prices at home in Germany. Now he has become old and it is about to stall, for their tea is poor, so it was rather the story selling than the quality. But nevertheless, it inspired some few in Bhakanje to plant the bushes. During our WEP we had an agronomist to teach the women, and he also knew a bit about tea-bushes. So now were planted more. Then I started to talk about a tea-factory and the production of quality tea, and then planting exploded. We are about to do a survey to know the situation, but we reckon that there are now more than 100,000 bushes in growth. In the months of spring after the quake, there should have been weeded and fertilized a lot, but it was delayed by many. This autumn, however, it looked perfectly fine again. Last fall was Pernille and John with us in Bhakanje and became very excited about the possibilities of a tea-production, and we formulated a number of program points that need to be implemented. First of all, we should establish a cooperative after old Danish recipe. It has been a success. So we had to make it in action. It failed in the first place, since no one understood the principles of the cooperative idea. I gave it some efforts here in autumn, where I over 4 days made the Committee to analyze their situation and take decisions. It went a bit sluggish at first but then they speeded up, and by the end I was almost reduced to just a spectator.
The major hurdle is that we need a stable power supply, which the old power station can’t provide. There have for long been planned a new station, and the plans were very close to realization in the spring, but then the earthquake came and delayed everything. Now they started again. We have now given the tea co-operative a loan, which they can invest in the electricity station. So now we expect that the new power station is in operation before the end of 2016.
Therefore, we have now decided to buy land for the factory. Many plots were in the game. Some to the horrible prices, other far from everything, some too slope and other in the windy corner. The choice became the 3000 square meter centrally located, gently sloping, north-facing, in the shelter from wind and with a breathtaking view to Numbur-mountains. It is now in the process of being produced a deed.
We employed Lhakpa Chhirri Sherpa as manager of the cooperative society. He is one of our scholarship students who completed a bachelor's degree, and he is probably the most intelligent man in Bhakanje. It now becomes his responsibility to carry out the tasks that come up in the next period.
The first will be to implement the baseline survey, which should tell about the production today, and which can be repeated and show what progress we are making. Next, he must organize various training programs around the cultivation and gradually also prepare training of people who shall work at the factory. The actual factory we can slowly start to build in the course of this year, but ideally, we should wait for the planned tractor road will be dug out.
Our small organization is in an amazing process. Our turnover by 2015 was approaching 2 million DKR. We are now up to 10 workers in Nepal. Here in Denmark, it is really about being a full-time work. We train a lot of beautiful young people. Some travel abroad after completing their study, but many choose Nepal, and from some we have benefit for our projects. We are in the process of building 4 schools and even more if we can find more money. The economy of Bhakanje is flourishing, and soon it will explode when the Tea factory really gets started. It will be interesting to see how long it will last before it is no longer possible to see that there have been earthquakes in Bhakanje.

10-10-2015:
Now the monsoon is coming to an end and only several days without rain, is interrupted by few days with thunderstorms. But people are starting to miss a more stable home than the temporary hut that they built with our tarps. Some have built huts of tin plates. Those can be extended to the size needed and is a relatively inexpensive solution (6-800 us $). But it isn't soundproof and the indoor climate likewise. In the lowland there will be built bamboo huts with mud plaster on the walls. But they will hardly be popular up in the Solu, even though they are cheap (under $ 300). See our brochure BAMBOO HUT. Some Danish engineers have invented a shelter, LIFESHELTER, which are both sound-heat-cold-insulating, but it is expensive ($ 2,000) and the size is rather fixed. But maybe we can help to launch a production in Kathmandu, so that they will be cheaper and will be more flexible in size. There are still 200 families in Bhakanje which have to stay in emergency shelter, and the support that the Government has collected from international donors, has still not been distributed to the needy. But regardless of when this happens, then it becomes far too less for each family out of a total of 600,000 families in the whole of Nepal, who have lost their homes. There are indications that the authorities will choose to concentrate efforts in designated areas to make the aid to beat something for those who get it. And there are indications that Solukhumbu does not come into that pool. In about 2-3 months there will be really cold in Upper Solu. Some families can afford to do something about their hut, but there are many who can't. If they move down to lower and warmer regions, they will hereby disclaim the right to gain public support - if it still to come - because a condition is still that one must be a resident on own property, and that they should not have started repairing their house, in order to get support. A terrible and deadlock, which we must try to help alleviate, if we can.
The poor afflicted people have gotten even one more nuisance. They got a new Constitution two weeks ago, but the Indians are not happy with that. They believe that the people of the Plains must have much greater influence and that the more or less legal immigrants from India must have voting and electoral rights. This means effectively that India will force more power over Nepal. To stress the seriousness, India has now created a fuel blockade at the border. Almost no petrol and diesel have come into the country in the two weeks now. There are no longer sold fuel for private vehicles. Taxis in Kathmandu is hard rationed. Buses are still running but must soon to deminish. The same applies to domestic flights. International flights must carry fuel enough to be able to take off again. Internal goods transport with trucks is also about to come to a halt. Only trucks with food from India, runs forward. And now the tourist season starts, which is one of Nepal's main sources of revenue. If the old truth hold that it will cease after 7 plagues, then it must soon come to an end.
We still get donations into our Earthquake account. Thanks for it; it warming our hearts. Now when the dry season starts, we need to start having them turned over to action. In the first place, we must simply prepare building sites and make contracts with craftsmen, so that we can have budgets and schedules to fulfill. Namgyal is now so experienced a master builder, that we can drop the costly and unstable intermediaries, which a local contractor is. Namgyal will be responsible for procurement in Kathmandu and transportation to the site, like he will recruit and settle with the local stonebreakers, forestry workers and craftsmen. He gets a little extra pay for it, but there will not be included a profit. In fact, we expect that our construction projects will be somewhat cheaper than budgeted. It is the schools in Sagardanda, Sagar-Bhakanje and Chaulakharka which we must have rebuilt here in the first round, just as we must have completed the on-going construction in the Chhirringkharka school. In Kenja it seems like it is very hard to find alternative grounds for the school, and it seems like they are in the process of deciding to rebuild on the same space along the unsafe riverbank. If they decide this, they shall not count on help from us. But on the other hand, we have committed ourselves, if they decide to find a construction site in safety in the backgound. The next period now will be very exiting and interesting.

02-09-2015:
Life goes on in Solu while monsoon rains drums on our blue tarpaulin covers and on the temporary schools tin roof. We don't hear a lot of news from up there, but it is mostly because not really much are happening. There was a great fear that there should come a lot of landslides because monsoon rains would soften the cracked earth. It's also happened in Middle Hiils, but not much up here in the High Himalayas. But the residents of Kenja still do not dare moving home, but continues to live a little up the slope in Dunda. During daytime they go down to work in their fields in the river plain, but has always the sound of the river's roar in their ears. If this sound ceases, it is because a landslide has blocked the river up in the ravine and then it is just to get away.
No one has yet begun to repair their houses. There are many good reasons for this. First and foremost the rain continues pouring down each and every day. Regularly in the form of cloudburst, which lasts for several hours. Not everyone was so lucky that their house fell totally down, so they could get cleaned up and stored useful building materials. But no one dares to begin to demolish the houses, which still stands. One can not know which roof beam or wall panel that holds the whole house so that it will roar along around the workers. But the main reason is probably that they in Parliament and the Government are discussing how reconstruction aid is to be provided. There have been promised a lot of support from states and organizations, and a good number have indeed arrived, but when it is to be distributed between the hundreds of thousands of families whose homes have been destroyed, then there will be very little to each and everyone. But it has been announced that those who are migrating from their home area, they get nothing. And only the houses that can be declared useless, get something, so then no-one want repairing early. There is talk about the payment of aid amount of around $ 150, but also about 1,000-2,000 USD.
The crops are not good. The potatoes had too less water in the spring, so they are almost not materialised. An entirely new and unknown insects has invaded the corn and wheat, so seeds fades. It has hardly anything to do with the earthquake, but people think like that. It is probably rather climate change, which is completely altering the weather of the Himalayas in these years.
The schools are working again. Teaching takes place in tents or plank-tin-shacks. The teachers were slow to come back from their home in the lowlands. Students were also very irregular and came mostly to play with each other. But now the schools are almost full again. There have been cleared up in both Sagardanda and in Sagar-Bhakanje, and building materials have been stored and counted. Project descriptions is almost completed and will in the course of the coming week be submitted to donors. As soon as the monsoon weakens of, then we will initiate the building work.
Now there is only one month left for us to take off, Anne-Marie and I. We are excited about how we should live and eat, and not at least what we should experience among the people, whom we know so well.

13-07-2015:
There are still aftershocks, so the Himalayas is not calmed down yet. The biggest come up about 4 ½. Not seriously, but enough that no one dare to move too deeply into their houses. But those who have less damaged houses, has begun to store their field products in the houses. But all continue to live in their shelters. There has been no serious landslides yet, but Kenja is almost evacuated, as the risk here is very great. The District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) has plans to build 53 "Wall Tents" in nearby Dunda, to house the Kenja-villagers. We do not know yet what kind of tents it is, but presumably this is about tents with fixed sides, windows and doors that can keep rain and creepy things out. DDMC has delivered 10 kg rice to all households in Bhakanje, and now the World Food Program is on the way with another 10 kg. Young Star Club has plans to construct 20 temporary toilets and 18 shelters in Bhakanje, but we do not know more about that plan for now.
Bhakanje school has been cleared up completely. All construction materials has been sorted nicely and put into protection. They have also created a count, but it is not good enough for Namgyal. He has asked them to count again. Emergency School is built up, so teaching has started again. In Sagardanda, they are probably also completed with demolition and storing. In Chhirringkharka they are in the process of building the protective wall behind the school, and is in the process of preparing for setup of the roof. In Chaulakharka it is cleared up and teaching continues in the paltry buildings. All the places we are about ready to start constructing. We are just waiting for the monsoon to end.
Nowe the ticket for the autumn tour is purchased. Departure Tuesday 13. October. First a little week in the Office in Kathmandu before Anne-Marie arrives. And then by bus as close as we can come to Bhakanje. 3-4 weeks in Bhakanje in tent and then by bus back; a week's time at the Office and then home again the 6. December.

25-06-2015:
There has been some mess with the distribution of some big beautiful luxurious Australian tents, where we should have had 17 of them. The Australian Rotary Club have now got their money back, so now will they send us money, instead of the tents. And it suits us really well, for now we are almost ready with the descriptions of the new school buildings. Today, the master builder Pasang Tamang is in town to buy materials for the repair of the wall in Chhirringkharka, and to plan the reconstruction work with Namgyal. And today I've posted newsletter to all those who have donated to our work.

21-06-15 09:00:
It is strange with the weather. There is terribly hot down in India, and the heat pulls up through the Himalayan valleys, but although the monsoon time approaches, then it had given very little water until now. The thin layer of soil on top of the rock drains quickly out of moisture in this heat, so they started talking about a drought that affected the vegetation. Furthermore, there has been some changes in the aquifer and the underground water reservoirs during the earthquake. New cracks and crevices shall be filled up with water, which has been seeking new routes for drainage, so the small streams has dried out or almost dry. It is especially a problem in Chhirringkharka, where they had to go far for water. But now the monsoon started with rain every day, which has been refreshing it all up a bit, and just the other day there was a strong thunder storm. So now the first landslides started to appear in the shaken land surface. We have not received reports of serious damages, except in Chhirringkharka. But that is not because of the earthquake. During the excavation for the new school they were leaving a high soil wall in the inner corner. They have built a solid wall all the way around to secure the soil wall, but few days ago the high wall anyway sent some big boulders and a lot of soil down over the wall and into the new wall of the Office building, where the corner was damaged in both stone and reinforced concrete layer. Nothing difficult to repair, but now we have to fix the wall toward the soil wall by making it higher and pretty solid. They have already cleared up, and they are beginning to repair the damage. Read the Report about this new wall.

14-06-15 13:00:
Now the news only comes slowly and they are not so great and dramatic anymore. On the one hand, we no longer have our people on the ground, and, on the other hand, they are busy with all the daily tasks that belong to an Office. But here's a little collection.
The small and old hydroelectric plant in Orale has now been repaired and there is power in Bhakanje again. The central authorities, which deals with the new power plant, has gone ahead with the application, so it is now complete, except for the final approvals from the competent engineers. Next, the application will be handed over to the granting authorities. So there is life in the project.
All schools in Solukhumbu will now have 25,000 Rs for each destroyed classroom, so the Bhakanje School has now been promised 250,000 rs (2,500 US$) which can be added to the reconstruction. Not that great, but some local contribution anyhow.
Other organisations are now beginning to interfere. A group of clever people have been at Bhakanje School and advised the new buildings after their design, using tin plates from the destroyed buildings for emergency school and to move down the slope for reconstruction. At school they don't really dare say something against, now that the whole thing is a bit uncertain, but gave the message to talk with Namgyal. He could then explain to the group that we would like to see their design, so we could get some inspiration for our own design. And that they should just keep their hands from our tin plates, for them we need to recycle. And down the slope there should not be built, because there are regular small landslides, gradually approaching. The group does not offer financial aid but only advise. It's really admireable that they come around in that way, but we actually can manage in our own way.

08-06-14 12:30:
Nima Chhirring and Pemba from Bhakanje was taken to the city and visited our Office. They could report that both Sagardanda and Sagar-Bakanje are teaming up to collect 56,000 Rs (560 $) to the emergency effort and that they continue to collect approximately 40,000 Rs (400 $). They have built emergency schools at both schools, and this work is almost complete now. At the same time they are sorting the building materials into usable and destroyed in piles of similar materials. And this work is also nearing completion now. During the coming week, they will have village meeting at which it shall be decided whether they want to expand the school playground in Sagar-Bhakanje or simply build on the old foundations. But otherwise they are about ready to go ahead with construction. The same am I. I still have a few leftovers with receiving funds, which I wish to wait for, and we have Board meeting on 16/6 where we can decide what we need to do and when.
The clinic in Sagar-Bhakanje has been upgraded to Health Post, so there will be recruited personnel. But this, of course, is postponed. But our Doctor Quarter must be rebuilt. Susma presses mightily on, for after all, it would be terrible if they get the chance to hire a doctor, if the dwelling is not ready. She is Voluntary Health Helper, but is even willing to lay out, if we will promise to complete the work. We will decide on next Tuesday.
Applications are now beginning to come in from other places which have suffered damage. We tell them, ar we have a priority list that we will fill out first, but that we will remember them, if there will be option for it later.
All electricity users have collected 5,000 Rs per household for the repair of the power plant. So we expect that there is power again in a few days. The new power station was only 2 weeks from approval when the earthquake occurred. So we expect that this process will continue as soon as the approving authorities get started with their work again.
Throughout March-April it rained almost every day, which is very unusual. But now there have been droughts in 2-3 weeks, which is unusual here just before the monsoon, so now the potatoes and maize withered long before maturity. But otherwise, people are still scrambling to organize themselves with their emergency housing and to store the crops, which they begin to harvest now. Now that the panic dims more and more and after earthquakes also fades, people begin to look a little more realistic in their homes, or perhaps a mixture of realism and wishful thinking. Now it is thought that 50% of the houses can be used with minor repairs. But it is risky to believe in it. Imagine if the experts are right, who believes that only 10-20% of fault energy is triggered.

04-06-2015 14:00:
Namgyal has talked on phone with Teacher Lhakpa. We were very nervous about whether people should use of the building materials, so Namgyal called Sagar-Bhakanje to warn them. But Lhakpa could tell that people in the village have collected money to pay some workmen to put the materials tidily in piles. First undamaged wood, stacked so it doesn't settle, and then damaged wood, which, however, can be reused, and all covered with the tin plates. Then the building blocks stacked neatly in piles. They are already well underway with this work.
There were two buildings at the school, which is created after an earlier earthquake-proof principle. And it has partly worked, because the roof stands unchanged on the iron poles (view pictures from 22/5: 6 & 7. class building). But the walls are collapsed. Now they have removed the walls down to the foundation. It turns out that the school has stored the old New Zealand aluminium-sheets from the old Hillary-office building. Together with wood, which cannot be reused for real construction, they are in the process of putting up two buildings, which can be used as Emergency Schools. They plan to resume the education after about 1-2 weeks.
We're not only relieved; we are simply proud. They have understood the message og Namgyal, and the whole village stands together to do the right thing.
We expect that Namgyal need to go to Bhakanje again after 2 weeks, because we have a school under construction in Chhirringkharka with three earthquake resistant buildings, which are about to have roof on. It must be approve by Namgyal before they can be allowed to proceed. Ten on the same occasion Namgyal can make an inventory list of the materials.
The Master Builder who builds Chhirringkharka School is Pasang Tamang. We have known him for many years. He is self-taught and his first buildings was not good, but then he took work under a skilled master. When the Office building and the walls around the Chhimbu School, built by Dille Thame, collapsed in the monsoon in 2009, we employed Pasang to make them. He did it so good and cheap, that I had to give he an extra bonus in addition to the contract. And this has come throught the earthquake with very small damages. It was him who was constructor at Bhakanje school's office building. And it stands mostly intact, while the rest have fallen. And now the new build in Chhirringkharka has gone through the earthquake without damage. His work with furniture is large and clumsy and don't work long. He is still a lousy Carpenter but an amazing Mason. Therefore, Namgyal will in 2 weeks make an agreement with him that he shall prepare the reconstruction of Sagar-Bhakanje School, while he is completing the school in Chhirringkharka. Then Sagardanda School has to wait until he is about to be finished in the Sagar-Bhakanje. Pasang do not know a single word in English, but he understands sketches, drawings, finger language and he is very keen in the language that hides behind big smiles.

02-06-2015 13:30:
A long talk on Skype. Janaki could tell that she felt that this had been her big experience in life. She was one of the players in the above mentioned earthquake movie, and now she experienced it right from the beginning in Solu, our rapid emergency assistance, to see the many ruined homes, and then meeting all our children, who she was handing out scholarship to. She will write a book now. A book about what she experienced along the way, but also with the interview with all the kids just after an earthquake. It could be a really extraordinary book. I gave her the offer, that she could leave Solu, if she felt uncomfortable; but it could not be considered. She had a responsibility and was in the midst of a huge experience. Namgyal could explain that he believes that a third of Bhakanjes residents will be able to afford to build new house over the next few years. A third will be forced to repair on the old and move back. The last third will not be able to build house in very many years to come. But the houses will be smaller. Maybe new materials will be considered, e.g. type houses. It will definitely change at the rustic charm.
They could both report on the good mood among people. They explained that it was because everyone was in the same situation. If a few houses had fallen, then owners would consider suicide. Some people, fortunately a minor part, developed a greed. They barter themselves extra tarpaulins so that others don't get. Our people corrected that as well as they could. Some were issued several relief packages from other oraganizations, since they gave a false name, which caused that this person couldn't get any. The villagers got the very clear message that they should demolish the destroyed school buildings and store all the materials for recycling. But now we fear that someone will go in the pile and find what they are missing.
The potatoes and maize is to be ready for the first harvest, but only a few have the initiative to get started. Partly because they don't have anywhere to save the harvest. People sit inside their huts under the plastic roof or in our greenhouses and are predominantly inactive; Maybe a kind of depression. But also because there are very hot in there during the day. It is improper to be scantily clad, so they sit with too much clothes and sweat badly so they themselves and their clothes smell.
Politicians are debating in this Parliament about public compensation, and rumors swirling that there will be paid 15-25-50,000 rupee and even that there will be given loans without collateral at 1 ½ million. Some believe in those rumors and start speculating about it. It is also said that Government will rebuild all damaged schools. But it can't possibly be true. Where would all the money, come from? And when? And it will never be enough, because it costs 1 ½ million rupee (16,000 $) to build a decent house or a school building. So we agreed today that Namgyal go there again after 2-3 weeks to see if they are progressing as they should, and to see where and when we can begin our reconstruction.
Today Namgyal visited the plastic man, who gave us credit 2 million rupee, to have his bill. Now 3 weeks has passed without any contact, so he was very relieved to see Namgyal again. He claimed that he wasn’t nervous about us, but Namgyal don’t believe that it is true. I have sent him my very warm Namaste!

01-06-2015 14:30:
They came back to Kathmandu late last night. Today, they are busy to update with family and washing clothes. But Namgyal anyway went to Office with his 4-year-old son so we could have a brief superficial opdate, while the kid pressed the keys. It is hard to scold when Dad had been away for 3 weeks. So here is a short report where we left off 4 days ago. On the way down over Septeng they met a great deal of destruction. All the houses had been damaged, but one out of ten can probably be repaired, while the rest will have to be demolished and rebuilt. And down here, it is the poor houses, there are worst affected.
In Kenja there was extensive destruction. Most houses still stand but is so damaged that they are in danger of collapse. Many houses are 2-4 storey hotel buildings. Fortunately, it seems that our usual hotel is one of them that can be repaired. The same applies to the school headmaster Bhimsens House and Dhambar's hotel. But basically the rest will have to be demolished. A hopeless task with so high houses, which are built so close together. Kenja School is ready for demolition. None of the 4 buildings seem to be able to save.
Chaulakharka School is not so bad as feared, although the rest of the village is one of the worst-battered. Five buildings can actually be used without danger. The two newest buildings can easily be repaired. The Office building is half destroyed.
More detailed reports follows the coming days.

28-05-2015 08:30:
Now they found a mobile connection below Chhimbu so I could get the update of their recent experiences. Namgyal again inspected Sagardanda school thoroughly and took decision. One building and the toilet shall be taken down to foundation height and the other two to the lower window frame, and then the walls shall be covered with plastic to protect against the rain. All demolition materials shall be stored securely, so Namgyal can make a statement on a new round in the area about a month ahead. But he estimates that 75-85% of stone, wood and slates can be reused.
In Sagar-Bakanje he has now reviewed all houses and estimate that 10-15% of the houses are undamaged and can be used immediately, while the rest are un-inhabitable. In the school 40 soldiers have started to demolish the science building and they will continue with the parts of the other buildings, which are in immediate danger of falling, down to foundation height. But Namgyal ordered the village to tear the rest down to the window height. Here is the damage more extensive, so here he estimates that 65-70% of the materials can be reused. Our small new "medical home" will have to be demolished to the foundation height.
Back in Sete he got time to check out the whole village. It is worse than first thought. Only two hotels are virtually undamaged. It is Susma and Ang Dawa's and also Pasang's. Chhirring will give up hotel management now. He and Pelu is by being older and their little hotel has long declined, so now they will demolish the hotel and build a small retirement home. The fine new hotel at the bottom has fallen almost completely down. It running so well, with new fresh forces. The ancient gompa has fallen partly down and the precious old good-sculptures are taken into custody a secret location. But the just as precious murals have been turned into small colored pieces. The two old original farms below are turned into a piles of scrap.
In Chhimbu the school was instructed immediately to initiate the repair. Only Office Wing has on both sides a damage in the wall the size of the crack, which went across the school yard. But that is about to close again. The damaged piece of wall has to be taken down and built up again, but it's a minor issue, as we can take of the school account. In the village Sherpa and Thami are now on almost equal terms. The poorer Thami's houses have some wood in their construction, rather like timber frame, so they still stand useable. The poorer the better. But the bigger and sturdy two-story sherpahouses, with the thick stone walls, they are shaken. The two lodges in the village is completely finished.
Janaki, city girl, is doing great. She goes with life and soul into her task of handing out scholarship and getting the story out of our students, both the immediate and the long-term perspectives. The kids have a hard time taking a position right now, like they generally have hardship to imagine the future. But it is really good for them to be asked and to sense that someone from outside is interested in their little life as which we would like to see flourish in a new society, when we have overcome this hurdle. Namgyal is obviously in his right element. He detects and is photographing almost every home and building, and express himself as an expert and recieves great recognition for his wise decisions and promise of speedy help.
Now they are going down over the totally smashed Septeng, through abandoned Kenja, up through Dunda where Kenja-residents have established emergency camp and to Chaulakharka, where they will stay overnight, so they can inspect the school there tomorrow.

26-05-2015 07:00:
Finally the Mobile Tower opened again. The poor people now even have faced more hardship. This time it was a storm in 2 days and one night. Perhaps because everyone lives in their makeshift tent cabins or because their spirit still is in high level, they saw it as worse than ever before. Many who had the tent in the wind's eye, had to sit up all night and hold on the tarpaulin. Other relief organizations have also begun to provide tarpaulins, but many of them were ripped in the storm - ours' did not.
But here comes Namgyals report from the trip from Sete to Sagar-Bakanje, Sagardanda, Themjeng, descending up Orale and Marbu, and up to Chhirringkharka and Patale. In Sete is the damage minimal. The four hotels are largely unscathed. In Sagar-Bakanje most houses are still standing, but when you look closer, then half of them have servere damages, so they cannot be used again. The rest can probably be repaired according to Namgyal, but the owners do not believe in it. They say that there are inner cracks, which cannot be seen from the outside. As it looks now, all will tear their old two-storey house down and build in one-storey. But no one will build until about 1-2 years for fear of new quakes. But now let us see it when it comes a bit at a distance. The school is pretty much finished. Only my new building stands with Office and two classrooms and some repairable damages. The two old so-called earthquake secured buildings have lost most of the walls, but the roof is still there on its iron construction. So they may be used as emergency school until we can replace replace. The long fine building with 4 classrooms will have to be demolished to the foundation and rebuilt. The fine two-storey science building has to be demolished to the foundation. Fortunately, they have rescued all of physics instruments and the books in the library. The building itself can wait until we have rebuilt the classroom buildings. In addition, the school now gets the chance to expand the school grounds, as they long have desired. But it will be a mighty work, so let's see what they want. There is a meeting at school tomorrow. The clinic can be repaired for smaller amounts. Also our doctor's home, even though it has been completely warped. The clinic was upgraded to Health Post shortly before the earthquakes, so both Health Assistant, nurse and administrator will be employed. But now let's see how long this will be delayed now, and then wait for the reconstruction for the time coming.
In Sagardanda is 9 out of 10 houses completely damaged and the rest with minor cracks. In the school the building with the staff room and preschool must be rebuilt. The other two will Namgyal go through again with one of the artisans from Chhirringkharka. He believes that they can be repaired. But I have asked him not to be in doubt. We cannot run the risk that a school building at all can collapse over the children. Their fine toilet building has been completely damaged.
In Themjeng is every eighth house almost intact, while the rest will have to be demolished. But they've got new residents, for the folks down in Orale and up on the slopes of Marbu is afraid of landslides, so they have all moved over on the north slope. Moreover, all their houses are damaged. The hudropower plant in Orale is finished. And no one has currently surplus to work further with the almost complete negotiated plans for a new one. The school in Orale is completely unharmed. Not a single crack. But the one anchorage for the long suspension bridge is full of cracks. Nevertheless, people pass over it, but one at a time.
Up in Chhirringkharka and Lole is six out of seven houses useless, but even the seventh will not be inhabited again, they say. In Patale all houses are damaged and several have fallen into complete disintegration. Everyone has moved all the way up at the top of the slope, where there is a little flat, in fear of landslides. But the broad and deep cracks are about to close. It rains every day now, so cracks fills up with mud and the soaked ground clamps the rest of the cracks together. So now it's just waiting to see how far the soil is properly fixed to it's rocky foundations. The school in Chhirringkharka, as we build on in these days have not taken the slightest injury. Builder Pasang is thinking further earthquake protection in the construction. The clinic has less cracks, which can easily be repaired, but the wing with kitchen and toilet have collapsed, while the bath room still stands. The compound wall under the courtyard has come to look like a pregnant, so it must be partially rebuilt.
Now they go over to Sagar-Bakanje again and presumably to Sete for an overnight before they go down through Chhimbu and Septeng to Kenja. Then again, we must expect a lack in communication, perhaps until they are at home in Kathmandu. But now a lot of relief support is starting to arrive so we do not need to think more on the side of the situation. There are others who send tarpaulins to emergency schools, so we also don't need to think so much about that. So now we can probably concentrate on the reconstruction of schools. And still money arrives on our account, so I start to feel quite safe that we can repair most of our schools and clinics during the dry season from late summer until next spring and monsoon. And if it holds true, that people do not want to rebuild their House until about 1-2 years, then it is right now that we can utilize the "available" craftsmen before they get realy busy.

22-05-2015 08:30:
They have stayed in Sete, where the damage is far less than the rumor said. Susma and Ang Dawa's hotel is almost undamaged, but maybe because Sete is a place with a thick layer of soil above the bedrock. They slept in the room right next to the balcony, so they could quickly run out and jump down, if it should start to shake. But now it is several days ago that there has been unrest in the mountains. But on the walk down from the Lamjura Pass it was horrible. Here are all the small settlements are built almost directly on the mountain. Here was all houses total out of shape and in Dakchhu was everything gone in solution. The houses were scattered over the path, which we call "Higway No. 1", the main road which leads to the North, the old tourist trail to the Everest area. Here, people have not even been able to dig their belongings and food forward. Maybe it will never be rebuilt up there, for, in principle, all the small villages up there on the mountain are illegal settlements within the border of what is now the Sagarmatha National Park. A decree now say that there may not be built new the area, and no building may be given in succession but should be demolished. Now we will see if it also applies in this national disaster situation.
Sete is the best place in Bhakanje for telephone connection, which is on-off, and since it seems to be the most comfortable place to live, they take the night seat here and go out from here. Today they will visit Sagar-Bakanje. Namgyal will inspect damages and Janaki distributes scholarship. Namgyal will make photo documentation and describe as many houses as possible. Janaki will photograph our children and have them to describe their situation right now. Schools are told to demolish the buildings which Namgyal declare as useless and to store the building materials for reuse. He will also ask them to build wooden frame on the spot, so they cover it with tarpaulins, which we shall send immediately when Namgyal has come back to Kathmandu. And he shall promise them that we start reconstruction immediately when the monsoon is coming to an end in late august.
But the mood among people in Bhakanje fails nothing. Virtually no inhabit their houses, but it is the same for everyone. So they laugh and joke as usual. But gratefulness towards Himalayan Project is great. They say that we are bigger than Guru Rimpoche, which is the step right below Buddha. No greenhouses will provide the tomatoes this year. Either they are transformed into habitation or luggage storage, or the tarpaulins are covering the plank cabins that are set up in a hurry, and where people sit inside having family life when it is raining and they are not busy out. All sends the largest and most heartfelt gratitude expression for all of us who so quickly responded by sending our aid and promise more help up there in the mountains.

19-05-2015 08:00:
Now we make a break in the distribution of tarpaulins. We were the first on the spot, and then we could even provide quality, and even in an appropriate number. The three hardest-hit areas, Bhakanje, Chauklakharka and Goli, with 80-100% total loss we've covered almost completely. CDO does the rest, he says. This morning Namgyal was called from local officials and local citizens in all three areas, and it was many who have called, and they have called on behalf of even more. They have expressed a very warm and heartfelt thanks to Namgyal, so he was totally throaty in his voice as he told it. But worse, it was with the voice when he had to tell me that the gratitude was also aimed directly to us in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, for our outstanding effort so quickly and completely in this difficult situation. People in Bhakanje, who know us best, have us in mind with great warmth. I can feel that I myself feel completely sloppy by sending this big thanks on to all you who have given a helping hand so quickly in the process - a THOUSAND THANKS from 1,100 families in Solukhumbu, who can now go in dry weather in the awareness that a lot of good people on the other side of the Earth are thinking of them.
The most acute and urgent needs are now covered. Now other helpers start to come in with supplies. Some people started to mention that they could use some extra tarps for their furniture and food. CDO meant that he would like to have a stock from which he could distribute. Many people has bocome over-anxious and don't dare staying in their house even it is undamaged in fear of the next quake. Some NGOs have promised to hand out, but have not yet done so, and some few of them has previously failed. So all in all it is good reasons for more support, but now we just take a break for evaluation. The worst thing is that the sweet Rai-people in Basa, which we visited last year, they have hardly received any, although they are quite serverely attacked with 2/3 houses entirely damaged, but let's see in a little week, how the situation looks, and so it may well be that we are going in and backfill.
Our small team is now going on. Here at noon they went to Mopung, and tomorrow over the Lamjura to Bhakanje. Then the phone contacts will become rarer and thus also the news. But on the other hand, the news will be sharper and more realistic when Namgyal have inspected personally. People have asked whether we can help Bhakanje with "emergency schools" with more tarpaulins. Namgyal along the way shall decide and explain how to build the structure, then we will deliver plastic and educational materials as soon as possible. Janaki looks forward to distribute all our scholarship. It is, for most, two periods or half a year, so no doubt that money falls in a dry place. Tikaram has promised to behave properly. He suffers a bit of gambling addiction, so he has found himself some easy victims in Phaplu. I have given him the message that if he plays a single time in Bhakanje, then he is sacked. People who have lost everything, can easily be tempted to try winning it back again. But Himalayan Project does not participate in something like that. He is a great man, but a little difficult to control.
People in Chhimbu have been told to fill up the large deep crack, before it gets soaked by water completely down between rock and soil. I know very well that they cannot fill it up, for lumpers of soil will stop and block along the way down into the depths. But in any case it may be that the water may be delayed and that it will pull the mud down and pack the bottom of the crack. If it succeeds, then the Chhimbu School just have some small repairs to work again. In Chhirringkharka they work on high pressure with the building of the new school, so they can get the roof on before the monsoon starts to become really serious, and so the builders can get on with the hundreds of houses in the local area, which shall be torn down and built up again.

18-05-2015 09:30:
This morning Namgyal handed out our last 300 tarpaulins in Goli and Chaulakharka. The Nepalese Army gave a helicopter available, since it is too cumbersome to get there overland. But there was no time for the big events on the two delivery spots. Namgyal had already arranged that the local police or municipal Secretary was present at the landing place, so they were given responsibility for distributing the equipment and to make a list of families who get it handed over.
Together with the authorities Janaki has produced a LIST, which tells where emergency aid is handed out in Solukhumbu, and where it is not. Unfortunately, not everyone has coordinated with the authorities, just as we have done. The Indian Army has sent on behalf of the Government plenty for the northernmost municipalities - because of politics bordering to China (Tibet). Some small NGOs have sent to their own home region. But there is still a lot of people inhabiting more distant places, as yet not at all are equipped as they need. The District still has a share of the thin plastic, as they do not yet have managed to deliver, and some of the southern municipalities can well manage with that. But there is still a lot of families in the high-altitude and cooler municipalities that lack of proper quality tarpaulins. Especially in Basa, where people know us and have asked so amicably about our help. Namgyal is in the process of examining together with CDO how much is yet to be distributed, and how many tarpaulins we once again can get on credit in Kathmandu. And I'm working on, how much money we can collect right now to buy between 500 and 1000 tarpaulins.
Danish Medecins Sans Frontieres has set up mobile clinics in Ghorka area, and one of them, Kristoffer, is now on its way to the East in order to give service. Read his report.

16-05-2015 21:00:
Finally Namgyal called. They went to Junbesi with 450 tarpaulins and distributed between the people who were coming over the pass from Bakanje, they got 250 to take home for internal distribution. For people from Mopung, Pangkarma, Salabesi, Khamje and probably also something to the monasteries. But people from Junbesi, Thamakhani and Trakshindu have organized their own purchases - they are richer than most. The folks from Phera would like to have, but they have already plastic sheets, but ours is of better quality. So they were rejected. And now the 3 came back to Phaplu in deep dark just before midnight. Janaki went exhausted to rest and sleep without food. Tikaram is about to cook a bit and Namgyal phoned me. He sounded tired. How I am incredible proud of my people, and I told him. He was happy. They sleep in a small shed in the back garden for Hotel Numbur so they can jump out of the window, if it begins to rumble.
Bakanje looks terrible. In Kenja, Septeng, Chhimbu, Sagar-Bakanje, Sagardanda, Themjeng, Orale, Chhirringkharka, Lole, Patale ... there is not a single house, which can be inhabited. Chhimbu School; running a crack across the school yard and across the Office, while the rest like the high wall amazingly stands. In Bakanje School is my office building without craks, just with some stones that have fallen out at the top of the wall. The upper floor of the Science building has fallen down, while the basement is reasonably intact. The long building is half way destroyed and the other half can be used. The other two buildings are finished. The old school in Chhirringkharka is totally destroyed, but our new buildings are undamaged. The clinic in Chhirringkharka is mostly intact, but the kitchen, bathroom and toilet have fallen. In Themjeng all houses are badly damaged, but the new Community House, which we have built over the winter is undamaged, so here lives some families. I didn't have more news now. Maybe tomorrow.
Tomorrow they will distribute 400 tarpaulins to people from Goli and Chaulakharka. And then they have only 150 left in reserve to who might come. Chief District Officer is deeply impressed and grateful. I hope he will stay long on his post in the district, because then we have a reliable partner in the next phase. Tomorrow we will have an assessment of how much relief is shortcomings in Solukhumbu, and whether we should work on one more consignment.

15-05-2015 11:30:
Tikaram departed from Kathmandu this morning and is expected to arrive in Salleri tomorrow at noon - with 1,000 tarpaulins. Namgyal and Janaki are treated as heroes by all officials and locals, and they are expressing huge recognition for the work we do here in Denmark and the unselfishness of all concerned donors and foundations. Namgyal has called people from our areas in Upper Solu to Salleri tomorrow to hand out tarpaulins. Half for the people from our own area in Upper Solu and the rest to people who we do not know, and as we let the Chief District Officer distribute.
We still have very little news from Bakanje. Namgyal has talked with Saru in Kenja. No houses are inhabitable. There is a long and deep crack all the way from the steep Septeng just above Kenja and all the way up below Chhimbu. When monsoon rains will soon begin increasing, it will make the crack up with water that change the soil layers into mud, and then it will start sliding with the slightest vibration and bury Kenja in mud. And aftershocks continue coming with few hours in between. So now all from Kenja move up in Dunda on the other side of the river and set up a refugee camp there. He also talked with Kami Chhirring in Chhirringkharka. Here there is a crack on along the length of the slope of 3 km straingt through the lower part of the village. The crack is 10-20 cm broad and impossible to assess the depth of, but it is deep. Many other shorter cracks running the length and breadth from Lole over Chhirringkharka and around the corner and down Patale. So now all residents move up in secure locations and establish camps, but they have no protection against rain. But they will have by tomorrow. We have decided that all households in Bakanje must have a tarpaulin, which is to say 250 pcs. Tomorrow we will know more, when the folks coming to get them.
The gompaen and 3 houses stand undamaged in Junbesi. The rest is finished. See the pictures. If it had been houses built of brick, it could be possible in some cases to remove the bricks around the smaller cracks. But in the houses of Upper Solu natural stone in irregular sizes and shapes are used, which are held together by mud. Even to demolish such buildings is dangerous, for they can suddenly like a rock-slide comefalling down; especially when the rain has soaked the mud. You cannot climb up on the roof and hive slates of, or go in and pull out the wood-paneled, for even the slightest vibration can cause it to topple. It will mean that it will be very difficult to recycle materials for new construction. Junbesi School is done. Even after clearing none of the buildings are safe at all. Above Junbesi Serlo Gompa has taken much damage with his precious wall paintings.
Mopung is an example of that the rumors may be overdone. We were told that the majority was destroyed, but in fact 75% of the houses are undamaged, while 25% can not inhabited anymore. But it is also bad enough. To insure a house is something completely new, as only are carried out by individual companies in Kathmandu. Out here in the countryside a damaged house is on own account. And there is a tendency that the poorest houses are worst included. Above Mopung is Tubten Choling Monastery heavily affected. In particular, the small cabins which are inhabited by the 5-600 monks and nuns. Phugmoche Boarding School was lucky at the first quake, but is now heavily damaged with several cracks in the soil both above and below the school, so now all boarders moved down into the Valley.
When the distribution of tarpaulins are over, then our people go up over the Lamjura Pass and down into Bakanje. Also city-girl Janaki. She feels it is her duty to complete her work, distributing scholarship and to inquire how it goes with each one of them.
Here Namgyals prepaid cards ran out of money, so we hurried to agree that we are waiting for an update for tomorrow night, when tarpaulins are released.

14-05-2015 14:00:
Today Namgyal and Janaki went op to Junbesi and Mopung to see the damages. Namgyals Mother lives in Mopung and she is one of the lucky ones whose house is almost un-damaged. Probably they will stay overnight up there. Even under normal conditions there are no mobile connection up there, so we will have to wait for tomorrow to have news.

13-05-2015 17:00:
We have just ordered 1,000 tarpaulins in Kathmandu. They are not in stock, but are ordered in India and is on the way, so they are expected to arrive after 2-3 days. Namgyal told the businessman that the money is on its way here from Denmark, but we expect to see them in our bank only after a week or so. It was OK with him. He trusts us. Immediately after they arrived Tikaram will load it on atruck and drive to Salleri with them. We dare not drive through Dolakha directly for Bakanje, for then we will risk seeing them disappearing there. It is terrible to think like that, because they have at least as much need for them, as we have. But we feel we have the right to think about our own friends first. In the meantime Namgyal and Janaki will go to Junbesi and Mopung to inspect the damage and distribute scholarship and back the same day, for there is nowhere in the old hoteltown to stay overnight. They've got a good connection in Radio Himal FM, so they can call people to pick up the tarpaulins when they arrive. We have decided that half must go to our own region in Upper Solu: Bakanje, Beni, Ringmu, Thamakhani. Half of the rest to Chaulakhaka, and then the rest down South, where there never comes either NGOs or others with anything. Then we must see if we can gather enough money to send one more truck full. All the while we organise and distribute in hundreds of tarpaulins there has starting to arrive small portions with 5-10 tents or 1-2 boxes with everything in. Today 70 people was assembled in Salleri to distribute 6 tents. It came to brawl and exasperated outrages. Good that Namgyal is such a wise and upright man, that we can avoid that sort of thing.
We still have absolutely nothing heard from Bakanje. All phones are dead, and no one comes to Salleri. But they are beginning nonetheless to form a picture of the damages. In Thamakhani, where the damage is as bad as in Bakanje, are 80-90% of the houses uninhabitable. It can be figured out to 20% which are completely damaged, 40% are severely damaged and 20% have cracks and fissures that are large enough to make the house unsafe to live in. But it means most of the houses can be used during daytime to cook and to eat in, but in a way that one can run out immediately when it starts to shake. But it also means that 80-90% of people do not dare to rest or to sleep in their house. There is a small rain almost every evening at the moment, as a sign that the monsoon is coming a some earlier than usual. So it is a matter of urgency with the tarpaulins, and only tarpaulins. It's actually Namgyal and me, who analyzed us forward to the solution, and now all starts to imitate us. An Australian Rotary Club, who asked us to help deliver 3 ShelterBoxe, changed their delivery to 11 tents without box, and now they have made it on to the supply of 100 tarpaulins - for the same price.
In the evening, Namgyal and Janaki will decide whether they dare to go to the Bakanje or not, when tarpaulins are distributed. Nowhere to stay, simple food, people in distress but they bring scholarship for two periods, and barely have our children previously had more need of support than just now. But it is anyhow quite a journey. I have given them free to decide what they feel.

13-05-2015 07:00:
The news are coming very slowly to the authorities in Salleri and Namgyal is running around asking what they know. But the authorities are desperate, because communication is so poor that they actually only know everything superficially. But there are no reported deaths in Solukhumbu, but many wounded; large wounds, broken arms and legs. The worst-affected municipalities are our Bakanje, as well as Chaulakharka and Goli, but also Beni with Junbesi and Mopung, Chaurikharka at Lukhla and Sotang is hard affected. In those places it is estimated that 80% of the houses have fallen into ruins or are so damaged that they are uninhabitable. Around Phaplu and Salleri it is less affected; It is probably about 30-40% while the rest of the district is in between. So in our area of Upper Solu, we must count on to 1000 families have no place to live. If we are not in a hurry to ensure those families with roof over their heads, then they must migrate. But then they will not sow their fields and greenhouses. And then we will soon see the famine.
I transfer a larger sum today. Last time it took 14 days to get the money on our account so we can probably expect the same this time. But we have to bet on being able to borrow money by good friends in Kathmandu until our money arrives. Tikaram has flown back and along with Bishnu they will buy as many rolls of plastic as possible (rumour say that there are only 4-5 rolls back in Kathmandu) and driving them to Gumdel, where our friends in Bakanje can come and get them, but the worst thing is that also Gumdel is very badly affected, so they also urgently need plastic. It seems a little hopeless. The authorities say that emergency aid is still concentrating on the Western districts which were hit in the first place, and now around the epicentre of the new quake of Dolakha. Himalayan Project is the only NGO in Solukhumbu which right now makes an effort. We've got the status that we do not need to ask, before we do something. We should just do it and then report afterwards.
We can not get very many concrete news from our villages and schools. The electricity station in Orale is broken down, so there is no longer electricity in Bakanje. So now mobile phones run out of power and cannot be charged again. Namgyal is waiting, someone from Bakanje should come to Salleri, so they can tell the news.

12-05-2015 14:30:
It is very very bad in Solu now. Namgyl rang very briefly - it is very expensive. He had been talking phone with Ang Dawa. No houses in Sagar-Bakanje can be used any more. The school is very badly damaged. My earthquake-proof building still stands, but there are cracks. In the Science building is the top floor gone. The other buildings cannot be used any more. In Kenja only 3 houses are still standing, the rest is gone. All the hotels in Sete are badly damaged. From Sete they could see Bhandar at the other side of the Valley disappearing in a puff of dust. Chhirringkharka and Sagardanda are very badly damaged. Junbesi and Mopung are badly damaged. More I do not know for now. Before families have been able to live together with others, but they cannot do any more. There are no houses to live in. Our job right now is to provide shelter to 1000 families just our own little area in Upper Solu. And probably for more than 10.000 families in whole Solukhumbu District. ShelterBox and other expensive support don't work in this situation.

Only bright spot: our Survival Sack is hitting bull's eye. That is exactly what is needed right now. In the morning they sent our 100 sacks up through the valley of Thamakhani with traktor, and up at the pass were a group of soldiers ready to carry them over when the earthquake came. There are not yet reports whether they are received. But officials in Salleri was really very satisfied with our tarpaulins. What they had received so far was something thin splash, but our is thick and solid. We must urgently send more. A roll with 22 sheets costs 3,000 DKR (450 $ / 400 €) and there can be 15 rolls on a mini truck - That is 45.000 DKR (6.750 $ / 6.000 €) plus transportation from Kathmandu to Salleri 3,000 DKR (470 $ / 400 €). Let's say roughly 50,000 DKR (7.750 $ / 6.750 €) in order to provide shelter to 330 families. Tikaram will fly back to Kathmandu tomorrow if there is a flight, buy plastic and drive back to Salleri with the plastic. And so on as long as we have money.

One more bright spot: Himalayan Project is present in the hot spot. Namgyal and Janaki is in Salleri and Upper Solu. Tikaram driving to and fro. Bishnu is in Kathmandu. I am in Denmark. And I am in contact with fantastic people in Denmark, in Germany, in USA, in Australia... Himalayan Project has gone World Wide.

12-05-2015 13:30:
Bishnu called back, that he had a very brief and interrupted call to Janaki. They are all well and in Phaplu.

13:00: Then it happened again and this time very close to Upper Solu and almost as large as the great earthquake 18 days ago. We have Namgyal, Janaki and Tikaram in Salleri located 19 km further away from the epicentres. Janaki has been given message home to her brother in the morning that they all was OK, but yet we do not know when she called, whether it was after the first or second earthquake. There have been 5 quakes of 5.0 to 5.6 since the two large ones. All telecommunication has gone down in Solu. We have contacts in Kathmandu, who are trying to get in touch and to get the news back home from Solu, but yet we know nothing at all.

12-05-2015, 07:05 UTC - 09:05 DK / 12:50 Nepali time - 7.3 Mw - 15 km depth - 44 km from Bhakanje
and 07:36 UTC / 09:36 DK / 13:21 Nepali time - 6.3 Mw - 15 km depth - 25 km from Bhakanje

10-05-2015 10:30:
Namgyal and TikaRam are in the process of buy 5 rolls of plastic sheeting, which each can be cut out to 22 tarpaulins at 4.5 x 6 meters. And 300 sleeping pads. 100 warm blankets. 300 meters of nylon string, which can be cut up into 30 meter lengths. And 100 nylon sacks. In the evening a mini truck (a cross between a truck and a jeep) will come and packs the gear. Tomorrow morning TikaRam will drive along with the truck and Namgyal and Janaki will take the plane. They meet in the district headquarters of Solukhumbu District in Salleri, where they will pack the 100 sacks, while the Chief District Officer's people call 100 homeless to Salleri in order to receive it. Support for Survival Sack has been great. The 100 bags are fully funded, and I am in the process of gathering in for yet another truck full. District announces that they will be in charge of the reconstruction of people's homes. I would, however, like to see before I believe in it, for it is a mighty task. But it means that we can begin concentrating on the reconstruction of schools. Our three staff will take a tour in our area to inspect the damages and assess where we should put our efforts first. Schools reopen in these days. The residents have been in the process of tearing some down and cleaning up. And gather the useful materials for later reconstruction. So now the teaching will be carried out inside they shook buildings, but ready to run out, if it starts to tremble. The quakes are diminishing, but anyhow 2 days ago shook a 4.9 Mw earthquake our area in just 9 km depth. Our staff have brought different mobile phones on the trip, so they can send a report back, when a telecommunications connection show up, but otherwise some time will pass in the next period between the news coming home.

07-05-2015 10:30:
Chief District Officer in Salleri, Solukhumbu District, has so amicable asked us to help him obtain shelter to the 8,000 families in the district who can not inhabit their house. He has only received tents, tarpaulins and other useable for 350 families until now from 3 other smaller NGOs like us. The monsoon is approaching, so it's really very urgent. Namgyal has been around in Kathmandu this morning to find materials and prices to an acute effort. We discussed the matter over Skype and now he is running again to buy 100 sacks "Himalayan Project Survival Sack". For $ 65 we can secure shelter to a vagrant family. They must find building materials in the ruins to make walls on their shelter. Namgyal will also examine how we can transport the fastest and cheapest.

05-05-2015 12:30:
Now ebbs away the aftershocks. There have still been minor shocks between 3 and 3 ½ with very short intervals and some up about 4 ½. But now people start to be resistant. They sleep on or stay on their job. It has to shake around 6 in order to elicit a reaction. But everyone feels heavy in the head, dull, hung-over, lazy. Some claims that it is gases that rise up from the ground. The whole Kathmandu has lifted itself 1 meter, and India has come 3 meter closer. Shops in Kathmandu is about to be emptied, and stocks will only be slowly fill up. 14 districts are in a kind of declared state of emergency. It is not Solukhumbu. The schools had a break between two school years and should be started again last week. But it has been postponed to 18. May. But teachers living fra from Solu will hardly give meeting at time, as parents at the same time are being urged to stay at home and take care of the family in order to prevent epidemics. And when they finally show up, they will the first week or so stroll around and talk earthquake with all and have a look at disturbances. And at the same time school children will run unattended around between the damaged buildings, pushing lumbers and boards so loose building blocks are falling down. It will probably be one of our crisis interventions that we must pull down, what can't stand.

05-05-2015 09:00:
After having been through many hardships, finally we succeeded in the winter to acquire 3 ambulances to remote corners of Nepal (click "Beredskab-Emergency" in the left frame). Two of the ambulances had arrived and wese assembled. The one was supposed to be picked up Sunday 26-04 and the second one in this week. But then the earthquake came and everything was suspended. The people who should pich up the first ambulance rushed home. But our two ambulances have not been ineffective. They have been running around with relief in Kathmandu and brought the wounded to the hospitals. But now they have slowly started planning delivery again. The third ambulance has arrived at the border and in the process of being customs cleared, if this has not already happened. But it will be allowed to remain until they are ready to receive it at the workshop in Kathmandu.

04-05-2015 16:00:
Namgyal and Janaki has been to an informational meeting at the Social Welfare Council (SWC), they are the ones who keep an eye on NGOs cheating and sticking money in own pocket, or whether they really live up to their objectives. Unfortunately, there are a large number of both foreigners and Nepalese citizens, who regard the development work as a money machine for their own benefit. HIPRON was registered way back in 2008, and our organization is annually certified by an approved auditor, as well as Namgyal each quarter has to give meeting at SWC and report our activities. In the beginning it was a little difficult, because they constantly put the traps out, but since we always have complete order in our activities, and because we always act honestly and completely legally, it was actually easy to avoid falling into the traps. Now SWC almost regard Namgyal as a collaborator, when he gives the meeting. To the meeting yesterday they were informed that our normal activities can be run forward as normal, but when it comes to relief, repair work and other earthquake-related, we must report to SWC before we execute it, just as we must inform the Chief District Officer (CDO) of our activity and how much money we spend and to whom. Not because they want to prevent us from carrying out our duties, but in order to avoid dublicating each other. We are welcoming this very much and will practice to perfection.
We have obtained additional information from Solu. Police have been through our whole range and rated every single home, and they have come to a somewhat bleaker outcome than Youth Club came forward to. In Bhakanje they evaluated that 31 houses (9%) are damaged to such an extent that they cannot be repaired, but must be demolished, while 54 (16%) can be repaired, i.e. a total of 25% damaged houses, affecting 160 families. Chaulakharka it is 30/100/124. In Beni-Thamakhani-Salleri-Garma (Dudhkunda Municipality), it is 148/414/578. Across Solukhumbu is now 75% counted and there the numbers are 1628/4695/6871. In Bhakanje the are already distributed tents along with 7,000 Rs to 29 families. These figures can further be revised, since there are currently being sent out teams of engineers to go through for the invisible dislocations of all houses. It is expected that they will further discard peoples' homes. But it will probably take a long time before they will cover all affected areas. In the southern and eastern part of Solu it is estimated that there is currently a shortage of thousands of tents.

03-05-2015 11:00:
There has been nothing to tell the last couple of days. Phone connection to Solu has been interrupted or of very poor quality, so there are no news directly from our area. But there has been some official updates. In Bhakanje, where we received an inventory of damaged homes, they also did send it to the district, which has responded by sending tents, blankets and other equipment to 24 households. In the 34 municipalities of the entire Solu shows a preliminary survey that 98 school buildings are severely damaged. But we must take it with reservations, for now I have seen pictures from Phugmoche, which is described as minor damaged, but they are actually worse than the earthquake-proof buildings damaged in Bhakanje, described as totally destroyed. We simply cannot count on anything before Namgyal and Janaki has been on their Runner Service as soon as possible.
More generally, Namgyal and Janaki tell that in Kathmandu many neighborhoods are largely undamaged, while others are in worse condition. Especially the old Newari settlements are disturbed. The houses there are built of glued mud or dried mud bricks and not of burned stone. It is especially in Ramkot area behind the Swayambodhnath and in the Shankhu area behind the Baudha, where almost everything is ramlet down, and it has been confirmed by both of them. Janaki was on her offday yesterday engaged in organizing the distribution of relief in Shankhu. But it is still the Ghorka area between Kathmandu and Pokhara most demolished, and last night they got a further quakes killing 15. Across the country, the number of identified victims up at over 7,000 and still more are being dug out from the remainings. Preliminary figures says that 8 million people are directly affected by the earthquake, 1,6 million homes are serverely or completely damaged and a further 2 million are less damaged. Today, Namgyal and Janaki has been called for a meeting of the Social Welfare Council in order to coordinate the small NGO's efforts. This is the body which is responsible for the approval and control of NGO's like ours, both with financial control and evaluation of our efforts. Fortunately, we are one of their darlings as there never have been pointed out any errors or omissions with us. But many of those who are not completely fine in edge, could have their assets confiscated, as well as NGO's which are not registered and approved.

30-04-2015 21:00:
Of course things are being exaggerated, when panic has taken seat in the body of people. And of course I eat it raw when I'm waiting with all senses open to hear the news. It's not that bad in Upper Solu as first reported. Rather, it is such that half of the homes are undamaged, while half of the rest have tiny cracks and fissures, which can easily be repaired. In other words, it is a quarter of the houses that included the more serious cracks and probably only 10% are seriously injured. But it is bad enough for those involved, and especially because it obviously is the poorest who are worst battered.
School buildings are not sunk completely in gravel, as first reported. But on the other hand, even half dammages are very severe in a school building where a lot of kids come and go every day. So the elderly of the buildings have to be demolished and rebuilt.
There is electric power in Bakanje and now the mobile connectivity is on the way back again, but with a lot of prolonged outages. So now we are beginning to receive images from Solu.
Banks still works on minimized level. People can raise smaller amounts, but not at the level what we need. I sent a substantial amount of project money just 14 hours before the earthquake, and they are still not registered at the Bank. But we believe that we can raise a larger amount in the course of next week. Then all our three people will go to Solu together. Namgyal in order to detect the damage and distribute relief where it is needed. Janaki distributing scholarship to our students, where we essentially expect for the time being that most let the money go into the family's economy. So therefore also a kind of relief. And Tika Ram is joining as a Boduguard. We are not afraid of the local residents, which we know very well. They are all very fine people with a very high moral. But younger people from other areas in need, could be out on the prowl. And there is deserted forest stretches to be crossed, where they even have to collect other migrant, to pass together.
In the meantime, Bakanje Youth Club continues in the process of gathering data led by Lhakpa Chhirri Sherpa (Hairry Lhakpa he is called because he has a very large billowing hair) and assisted by Pemba Sherpa (Former Teacher Pemba because he was once a teacher at Chhimbu School) who has a smartphone with camera.

29-04-2015 kl 22:00:
The first image of the remnants of a sherpahome came in. It is Pasang Sherpa, who has been home to see his mother and siblings, all of whom managed to get out in time. He is one of our scholarship students.
It has also been confirmed that the electricity plant in Bakanje, located inside the gap at Oral, almost miraculously is almost intact and produces power. Nor did the network take damage, despite the fact that the masts are merely simple wooden posts. So there is power to mobile phones, but still not stable network. Occasionally for short periods cell phones can call and send an email.
All the houses in Septeng between Kenja and Chhimbu are heavily damaged. With the exception of Nuru Jangbu's home which is without damage. This is where the poor thami live.

29-04-2015 at 14:00:
I have just had a talk with Birde immediately after she landed from Delhi. She had meetings with Bishnu in Kathmandu when it happened. It was dramatic. But the doughty Dane didn't end the meeting. She got a table and chairs dragged out on the lawn, and then continued the meeting, while the rest of Kathmandu ran screaming around. They put a half a bottle of water on the table. When they felt that they shook, they looked at the bottle to see how far the shaking came from underneath or was going on inside. The next day both she and Bishnu travelled to Delhi to have more meetings. We have been terribly nervous for Bishnu, for he did not answer his phone. So it wasn't until now that Birde just landed in Denmark, that she could tell that he is fine.
We are also now having news from our students: Sumba, Renuka, Lhakpa Chhirri are fine. Furwa Namgyal in Chhirringkharka is fine, but his home does not exist any more.

29-04-2015 11:00:
Today Namgyal and Janaki came to Office to clean up the mess. There is declared three days mourning in Nepal, but they do not have time to grieve - now we need to get started. Many areas in Kathmandu are undamaged and functioning while others are smashed. Lazimpat, where we have Office, is fairly intact. But there are starting to be lacking of food and it smells nasty in many places from the ruins. People are starting to fight, also pretty seriously, thieves are running around in the empty houses, the police are scrambling to prevent the worst violence. Emergency aid piling up at the airport. The foreign aid workers do not know how and where to go, and Nepalese officials are even more confused.
But now we are starting to to have real news from Solu. Phaplu-Salleri is virtually undamaged and flight to Phaplu is resumed. The road to Jiri and Shivalaya is blocked in several places, but people can drive by bus to the blockades and go over it and wait for another bus on the other side. Work in ongoing on removing the blockades. No one in Upper Solu have perished. An old man was injured in Themjeng. Two have perished in Chaulakharka VDC. Lhakpa Chhirri Sherpa, our sholarship student, have on his own initiative activated Bakanje Youth Club to make an inventory of damaged buildings. Preliminary a little shallow but it will be stepped up during the week. Many houses have been damaged, but I've only got the list of poor families' houses. Those who cannot afford to repair just with the first. Ten houses have been severely damaged, five partially damaged and fourteen less damaged but in need of repair. 29 houses out of 330 households cannot be repaired here and now because of financial difficulties in the family. We are awaiting the outcome of the remaining survey, about the houses where the family can afford to repair. The families which have greenhouses, 69 established greenhouses and 23 in process, are living in them at the moment, but now they must, of course, soon sow and plant next season's production. But in any case, there are more than 200 households who don't have greenhouses, and of which at least half are unable to inhabit their houses. Namgyal and I chatted about to buy greenhouse plastic for about 100 households, so that they can make a temporary home of it, and later on change into a greenhouse. Plastics for a normal greenhouse costs about 500 kr, so 50-60,000 kr incl transport.
Some of the schools and institutions in Bakanje was included in the report. Chhimbu School has only small cracks.
Bakanje school confirmed that my earthquake-proof building is "Not affected" and that is something I am really proud of. The new long school building is partially destroyed. Science building has large cracks in the first floor, but not on the lower floor. The two old "earthquake-proof" buildings are razed to the ground.
Sagardanda School is Office-kindergarten-building mostly destroyed. Our fine toilet is almost destroyed. The last two buildings were partially destroyed.
Kenja School is largely destroyed. All buildings seriously affected.
Kenja Health Post is partially destroyed.
Bakanje Gompa and Stupa is almost completely destroyed. The Gompa is one of the oldest in Nepal.
Bakanje Health Post and Doctor House has only small cracks.
Chhirringkhaka Community Clinic has only small cracks.
If I should conclude something, then the buildings, which I have designed and built with the critical overview of Namgyal, survived while the remaining, Which we didn't build, or where we have only decorated the interior, they have fallen.
But we have to rebuilt our schools as soon as possible. We were just about to have obvious progress with our schools. This development should we stick with. And I will design all the buildings, and have Namgyal as groundskeeper, and they shall be earthquake secured all of them. We lack a million kroner for this purpose.

28-04-2015 kl 22:30: The Boarding School in Phugmoche above Junbesi and Mopung has only minor damages and all boarding students are healthy and fine. The day scholars had Saturday off day. It is the school created and run by Anneliese Dietrict from Büsum in Germany.

28-04-2015 kl 12:30:
I have no local news today. It haven't been possible to contact Namgyal and Janaki. But the news say that mobile connections and electricity are on the way back in some places in Kathmandu. The news also say that 25% of the population in Nepal has been involved and 35% of the area. It is the worst in Gorka, but Solukhumbu is also badly affected. The countryside doesn't at all count in the death roll yet. It is only starting to count. I have spend the most of the day to organize the homepage and open bank acciounts for donations. You can read more on the DONATION-PAGE

27-04-2015 kl 20:30:
Junbesi, the most beautiful and idyllic village in Solu has now changed into a ghost town. All 8 hotels are damaged. The biggest one, Apple Garden Lodge, with the beautiful interior and wall painting stands with a gable and a few remainings of walls. And all the village people have raised tents in the fields.

27-04-2015 kl 18:15:
Chhimbu Skole and Chhirringkharka Community Clinic only have minor cracks. Pasang Tamang is a hero. He constructed Chhimbu School Office on filled soil so it could be against all odds that it is still there. But it is.

27-04-2015 at 17:00:
Now I even managed to get on Skype with Namgyal. He is telling how people in Kathmandu tries to push plastic hose in between the concrete blocks and rubble into the cavity, where there are people calling or text messaging for help. But there are no digging machines present that can lift the blocks, so the only thing they can do is shove a plastic hose in to them to pour water.
In Ringmu 50-60% of houses are damaged, but the school is completely undamaged. Ngima Chhewang tells from Patale that it is quite scary there. People searching around in the ruins to find some belongings and food. There are meters wide and very deep fissures in the surface of the soil, which will be soaked by the persistent rain, so the earth will be jelly like with the risk of landslides. Large stone blocks come rolling down from the mountain. Rock parties up around the corner have beaten large cracks. When he was on his way to the construction site for our new school, then he could see on the other side of the valley, how the lower building in Sagardanda School collapsed. The old school in Chhirringkharka is slightly damaged at one end, but the new construction site fails nothing. The wall around the schoolyard is undamaged, and on the construction site, they have only built the foundation. When I in autumn chatted with them about the building, they claimed that it was exaggerated to earthquake-proof a one-storey building. But we hardly need to discuss that now.
Namgyal has just been around our Office to inspect the damage. The building itself fails nothing but all the shelves and their contents of folders and papers lie scattered on the floor. However, not computers and expensive gear. It stands just fine on their space. I also got hold of Janaki on the cell phone. She sounded timid and tired but in good spirits.
We have agreed that in a day or two that they shall meet in the Office to clean it up and talking about how we can get started again. How do we get an objective overview of the situation in Solu?

27-04-2015 at 14:00:
FINALLY!!! A long mail came through from Namgyal. He succeeded to find a functional computer. But it looks much worse than I feared. It is depressing. It's all across the country and not just in Kathmandu. In all cities houses have collapsed. Roads are ruined. Power lines and water pipes are torn over. There are not many supplies coming on the roads, so soon there will be a shortage of food and water. But rescue teams arrive from China, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, UK, United States and many other countries. But there is a lack of buldozers and excavators as many are still buried in their houses, but 3,300 dead are counted in Kathmandu for the time being. But people are recommended to live outside the houses, so there is now overpopulated outdoors. And the weather is not good. It rains a lot - as if the monsoon has already started 2-3 weeks ago, which is 2-3 months too early.
It is really bad in the Solu. Everywhere, most buildings have been damaged with cracks and fissures and many houses are partially or completely collapsed. People are living outdoors and not everyone is so fortunate to have greenhouses as in Bakanje or even just a piece of plastic to take upon themselves in the rain. It is feared that many get sick now, especially among children and the elderly. It looks worse than first reported in Bakanje. Only my new earthquakesecured building stands and it is my only joy right now. The rest of the buildings are almost all collapsed completely or almost completely. Several private homes have disappeared. Among others, Youngmu's House behind the school where we use to stay. Three houses in Sagardanda have collapsed. In Patale-Chhirringkharka it is particularly bad. The Sherpahouses in Chhirringkharka is heavily damaged and close to collapsing and in all Thamis in Patale has lost their homes. And in Patale, there are large and deep cracks in the ground, which give risk of mudslides in the monsoon. In Kenja Kunjangs House has collapsed. Our school in Thamakhani no longer exists. It is completely collapsed and slipped down the mountainside. In our school in Loding our fine toilet has demolished like a part of the school building. We have not yet stated to rebuild the school in Chaulakharka, but now it is a matter of urgency. For more buildings are so close to collapse, they are dangerous to go into, and the Office building has fallen almost down. Almost all private houses in Chaulakharka are just ready for demolition and two people were killed in their collapsing house.
This is almost like starting all over again. Now we have just come so far in the developing of the area and could begin to glimpse the development take off. It's not just money that is needed now. It is also the courage and willingness. What should we do?

27-04-2015 at 10:00:
The aftershocks continue to rumble around 70 km from Solu. Seven pieces every few hours in a north-south line between 4.2 and 5.3 Mw. The last 8 hours ago. But still, I hear nothing new from Solu. Last Friday I transferred a large sum for scholarship and school construction in Chhirringkharka. Now I have no idea when the money arrives or will be registered or can be withdrawn. Janaki should go for Runner Service as soon as the money arrives. But she can not even come to our office. And how will that look? This uncertainty is unbearable, and I can not push, because I know that my friends are very concerned and that their phones run out of power.

26-04-2015 at 20:30:
Now there was again a quake of 5.3 Mw 2 hours ago that shook Solu. Now mails are coming promising to help when we have got an overview. It warms enormously. But I still know almost nothing. However, I got a mail from two donors who can tell that Chhokpa and Tenji are well.

26-04-2015 at 15:33:
Namgyal has heard rumors from Solu, but only rumours. Most houses are damaged from small cracks to partial collapse. People in Bakanje have sought refuge in their greenhouses. Our Science Building in Bakanje School is badly damaged. It can be repaired but with difficulties. It is a two storey building from before the time when we built earthquake-proof. Namgyal himself has set up a tent on the street, but his small kids are hard to control.

26-04-2015 at 10:00:
It continues. Now there has just been a 6.7 Mw earthquake in 10 km depth and only 30 km from Solu. But still we get no full stories. Most mobile providers are down, so our people borrow their way to mobile phones, so they can only write 2-3 words to comfort us. So what can we do? We must arm ourselves with patience. When we get details from Solu, and I guarantee that there will be lots of news, then we will find out what to do in a hurry. So please wait to donate relief funds to Nepal. I come on the pitch, when I know what we need.

25-04-2015 at 19:54 pm:
Dear Nepal-friends!
Now it came!!!! In the last 450 years is "the Great Quake" came with 70-year intervals. 6-10 years ago I joined several lectures on the consequences in Kathmandu when it came. But nothing happened. Janaki was featured in a film about the consequences of "The Big One"--a movie that is worth seeing and especially now, when it came to pass: http://thebigone.dk/
But gradually, people thought that the Earth impact era was over. No old unsafe buildings were demolished, and the new does not specifically consider earthquakes. BUT now it happened.
In the last year there have been 39 quakes in the last month 30, last week 28, today until now 27 of which the last 17 are aftershocks at 4.2 to 5.3 which comes closer and closer to Solu and they continue.
Our people in Kathmandu are all well together with their families, Janaki, Namgyal and Tika Ram. But they are shocked – shaken, as Namgyal writes. But it is only "Psykology problem he he ...." he writes. But it is very limited what they are writing, so I do not know more. And I do not yet know anything about our scholarship students.
It has also damaged in Solu. I have just been told that the long building with 4 classrooms in Bakanje School is partially damaged, while both of the two old buildings are completely collapsed. The buildings, which we use to call the Earthquake Resistant Buildings. But it was the technology back from the 1970s. But our own new earthquake-proof building at the school are probably undamaged, as far as I have heard. But I have heard nothing about our children or the other schools up there.
Nanna will update on her new website: http://www.himalayan-project.dk/ and on the Facebook page "Himalayan-Project" when we have news. But it will not be much for now. Kathmandu are in several parts without power, so now mobile phones run out of power, and cannot be recharged. And the computers can not start – or shut down and can be damaged, so we have to arm ourselves with patience.
I fear for the next days. What appalling stories should I hear about our friends and children???? And our schools! And about other people who we don't know!
It is bad – really bad! 

Back to Frontpage PICTURES