Nepal Earthquake: Death Toll Reaches 8567

By: Yuba Nath Lamsal KATHMANDU, May 18 (Bernama) -- The death toll in the April 25 devastating earthquake and its May 12 powerful aftershock in Nepal has reached 8,567 as of Sunday, according to the latest report of the national emergency operation centre (NEOC) under the Nepalese home ministry. The reports said the number of injured crossed 22,000, while 488,788 private houses have been completely destroyed and 267,282 houses are partially damaged by the earthquake. More than 5,000 school buildings have been totally damaged and 10,000 more schools have suffered partial damage, which has directly impacted about one million students, according to the ministry of education. Many government offices including the Presidential Palace and Prime Minister’s office, too, have been damaged and declared unsafe for use. A total of 137 important cultural and historical heritage buildings and monuments, some of which are listed in the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, have been completely damaged, while 444 monuments and heritage sites suffered partial damage in the earthquake, according to the department of archeology. Culture and tourism minister Dipak Chandra Amatya said: “The government will request the UNESCO to help rebuild the damaged heritages”. More than 650 aftershocks have been felt since the April 25 massive earthquake that measured 7.9 in the Richter scale. Only Sunday, two tremors with magnitude of over 4 on the Richter scale jolted Kathmandu and its vicinities. The government Saturday endorsed a short-term relief package for earthquake victims primarily focusing on temporary shelter, storage of food items for at least three months, and arrangement of basic health facilities, while it is working out a mid-term and long-term comprehensive plan for reconstruction of the damaged buildings and infrastructures. “The cabinet meeting held at the prime minister’s residence has decided to provide immediate relief to those who have lost their houses due to the April 25 earthquake, while it has instructed the National Planning Commission in coordination with the concerned government agencies to work out a mid-term and long-term reconstruction plan,” said information and communication minister Dr Minendra Rijal, who is also the spokesman of the government. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has personally instructed all ministers to go to earthquake-hit districts and take stock of the situation and oversee the relief distribution works. -- BERNAMA