What’s it like to lose your house? To many villagers in the earthquake affected districts, it was indeed a huge economic setback. It costs at least 500,000 rs. – or around 8,000 USD – just to build a traditional house in clay and stone, at least in Palanchok, Kavre. Building a modern house in […]
Villagers in Palanchok, Kavre, were hoping for the best. A Japanese-funded NGO pledging in May to rebuild 60 to 65 houses, however, did not return. It did clear some rubble with a dozer, following the villagers’ hard work of manually demolishing their house ruins. But after that no NGO showed up. By September, everybody was […]
Palanchok is just one of thousands of villages trying to move on after the earthquake. Expecting an NGO with Japanese funding to come and rebuild their houses, villagers are in a rush to clear their land of rubble and debris. We followed one family on a long day of hard work as they were removing stones and wooden beams from what’s left of their home. Staying under a tarpaulin – five weeks after the earthquake – they were full of hope that the NGO would indeed return and start building them a new house. It’s more hope than most villagers are afforded – but will the NGO really deliver? We’ll soon bring…
Cracks are warnings of more landslides to come, and in Palanchok, Kavre, they fear the worst. On the ridge in ward 6, everybody’s worried about the cracks that opened up during the quake. Birman Pahari saw it happen: “In seconds my workshop collapsed. I managed to run out in time – but then the hill […]
The ridge in Palanchok, Kavre district, has been our favourite destination for weekend trips for years, and we’ll always be coming back. But it will never be the same – not in the near future, at least. Situated on a beautiful ridge with green valleys on both sides, Palanchok is home to a sacred goddess and to locals who always welcome visitors with warm hospitality. Now, 90 percent of the village is destroyed. Staying warm and dry during the cold nights, when the ridge is covered by low clouds, is the most immediate issue. Rebuilding the houses is an enormous challenge long-term. These images of before and after the earthquake illustrate why.
It’s just one of thousands of villages. But it’s the one we have visited the most. The earthquake destroyed almost all the houses and left the rest damaged. What next?! It was a beautiful, thriving village – until 25 April when most was turned into rubble. But already now, some villagers are trying to rebuild […]
