Supreme Master Ching Hai International relief news update from Nepal
On the evening of September 18, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Nepal, Tibet and India, with its epicenter near Nepal’s Taplejung District and India’s Sikkim state.

Among the dozens who perished were at least 98 victims in Nepal.

Dev Raj Dhakal – Chief District Officer, Taplejung District, Nepal (M): During the September 18, 2011 earthquake, 90% of the houses and infrastructures were ruined. The total number of the people who were homeless as per the record of September 21 was 862 families whose houses were completely destroyed.

Victim (M): Long before, whenever an earthquake occurred in a year, it used to occur in low magnitude. But when the big one came, no one had the time to run away. Someone's roof fell down, many fell down, everything collapsed.

Victim (F): Now we all got drenched, with no way to sleep, no way to eat even.

VOICE: Supreme Master Ching Hai had immediately donated US$30,000 in emergency aid, with all her love and sorrowful prayers, as she also asked that our Association members please go to help the most desperate in the three affected countries.

This amount could obtain US$356,000 in items if purchased in the United States, based on the general cost of living in India, Tibet and Nepal.

Our Association members from the Nepalese capital Kathmandu traveled by air and bus to reach Taplejung in northeastern Nepal.

After planning with the local Red Cross and government officials, the relief team continued their travel by bus, then continued over more difficult terrain by tractor, followed by more than 6 hours on foot, mostly up steep slopes, until they reached the Khandimbe relief distribution point.

Nepalese Correspondent (M): This district is full of mountains including the Kanchejunga, and also rivers like Tamor. People here are hardworking and honest. People have woven their life's earning with the ups and downs of the region.

VOICE: Meanwhile, the relief supplies were arriving via truck and then tractor from Jhapa district, a process that also took several days. As the residents of nine village development committees arrived to receive the aid packages after travelling up to four days by foot themselves, a total of nearly 300 families received 50 kilograms of rice, along with pulses, salt and oil, thanks to the additional help of the local police, social workers and others.  

Nepalese Correspondent (M): Most residents, who have received aid, have expressed many thanks to Supreme Master Ching Hai from their hearts for helping them.

Relief recipient (M): We, all the people of this place, will never forget and would like to give thanks for this relief, this help, and for such love that the Master has given.

Dev Raj Dhakal (M): I would also like to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai.

VOICE: With appreciation, all officials, Red Cross and other personnel for assisting the quake-afflicted, we also thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her unconditional support and our Association’s relief team for their diligent efforts. Our prayers that such disasters may soon cease through our kinder care of the Earth.