Nepal Earthquake April 25, 2015: A Survivor’s Report
I feel lucky to be writing This specific. Had the course of events only been slightly different, This specific would likely have never been written in addition to my wife Yati in addition to I would likely probably never be found.
I had planned to go on the Langtang-Gosainkunda-Helambu trek – the part of the Himalayas just north of Kathmandu – as early as February, just to get out of Jakarta For just two weeks. I became less enthusiastic as the trip drew nearer. Unfortunately, everything was already booked. I did not feel overly fit; I had a badly inflamed in addition to swollen left toe in addition to I had torn my right meniscus, causing me some pain, especially going down steep slopes. I had the feeling which turning 74, trips like these are not so easy as they were some years ago. Ironically, my infected toe probably saved our lives.
We start at 7.30am, planning to end the day in Langtang, 1,100m up which has a distance of about 18km. After 600m altitude, we are out of the forest, the valley widens, with blossoming rhododendron trees everywhere. We pass through villages with lodges in addition to teahouses, where Sherpa ladies cook in addition to serve, children play, in addition to we see yaks, sheep, horses, dogs – everything was peaceful. We arrive at Langtang village inside early afternoon, the largest inside area with about 250 inhabitants.
Our plan is usually to continue upwards to Kyanjin Gompa, a Buddhist monastery. Among the guests is usually a couple, seemingly coming from Eastern Europe, in addition to two Japanese girls in their early 20s, playing with their handphones in addition to giggling. I am pretty sure which they all are no longer living.
I have an uneasy feeling about going to Kyanjin Gompa – I don’t know why. I consider the idea, although my painful, inflamed toe makes me refuse, insisting to return immdiately. This specific was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. The Langtang valley, including all the villages, is usually annihilated the next day. Almost everybody perished.
On Saturday April 25 we are on our way down.
After about four hours, we arrive at Pahara Lodge. Shall we sit down in addition to have another tea or noodle soup, or just continue? the idea is usually still early, 1pm, in addition to we have lots of time, so I say, let’s stay here for a while. A decision to continue would likely have killed us in seconds.
We sit down; Madan puts our luggage against the lodge wall. I get a pen to write down our order. At This specific very moment something happens which is usually difficult to describe.
The stone plates on the floor start vibrating.
I look at the wall of the lodge as the idea moves forwards in addition to backwards in addition to threatens to fall on me.
The most frightening noises fill the air; a deep grumbling, getting louder in addition to louder. Just a few metres past the lodge, a stone avalanche of giant boulders starts rumbling down.
Without much thinking, I run back amidst the bombardment, grab my backpack in addition to run back up into the forest. We hide in an earth hole behind a rock, about eight of us closely pressed together. A stone avalanche rolls down a mere 80m coming from us, just beside the lodge. Stones the size of shoe cartons, some smaller, some bigger, cruise around which has a terrible whistling noise. We hear cracking coming from falling trees, noises coming from the impact when the stones in addition to boulders hit the ground; the idea’s a concert of destruction. The air is usually filled with dust, so thick which you can hardly see.
After about 5 minutes the shaking in addition to the noises stop – an uneasy silence sets in. The people beside me are in shock. An English girl is usually kissing her boyfriend, in a trance. She feels This specific is usually the last moment she can be with her loved one. A very pretty Israeli girl is usually mentally absent, murmuring prayers in addition to crying silently. The lady who owns the lodge sees her property in ruins in addition to laments. Yati is usually silent, rolling her eyes in addition to moving her lips, praying for mercy.
All of a sudden: an aftershock. the idea is usually a feeling the soldiers must have had in World War One, sitting in their trenches, not knowing whether the next shot will end their lives.
Some Sherpas try to keep everything under control. They recommend waiting for approximately half an hour, avoiding possible aftershocks before continuing our descent into the relative safety of Syabrubesi. Despite the warnings of others, I leave our hiding place in addition to go for an inspection.
The entire lodge is usually gone. I look beyond; the trail is usually completely gone, buried under meters of huge rocks in addition to boulders. 200 metres away I can see the trail reappearing, covered which has a few stones – still passable. I look for our luggage; the two bags carried by our porter, in addition to can’t find anything. Everything close to the lodge was swept down by the avalanche in addition to buried deep under the rocks.
the idea is usually quiet, although an aftershock could come at any time, so we try to pass all the avalanche areas as quickly as possible. We climb huge boulders to reach the original trail. One hour down, crossing three more dangerous landslide areas in addition to a tributary to Langtang Khola, we reach a little, badly damaged village. We continue as fast as possible, 5km further to Syabru.
Two km down, the trail is usually completely destroyed, where the idea used to be is usually a yawning gorge down to the river below. The only way to get around is usually up. Yati is usually ahead in addition to Madan comes back to help me get over the obstacles. Then a chance to cross parallel to the former trail, although higher up in addition to steeper down again to the place where the trail still exists. I manage, partly riding down on my bum, in addition to see the trail again.
A bit further down, the trail crosses a big stone fall area of about 200m. I try to continue, discover a frightened green snake between the rocks, when two hiding porters call me back. Not a second too soon as another avalanche hits. After a few minutes, the stones stop in addition to the two guys who saved me are running over the field like weasels. I cannot follow which fast, in addition to inside middle of the field another aftershock sets everything into motion again.
I jump into a hole inside ground under a rock, which has a rather knotty tree on top. Any bigger rock hitting my hideout would likely kill me. The inferno gets worse, as boulders as big as cars come down left in addition to right, luckily not inside middle. The worst things to endure are the noises. I can’t say how long the idea lasts. Three minutes maybe, although which can be an eternity.
I nearly faint, in addition to I do something which I have not done for 60 years. I pray. Oh Lord, have mercy on me.
The noises finally stop. Was the idea the prayer? I can’t say. I step out of hiding; rub my body, everything still there.
I continue my walk as fast as I can. Yati in addition to Madan crossed the place earlier so I know they are safe. Two km more, crossing smaller stone falls, up to the village opposite Syabru on the east side of the Bhote Koshi Nadi. A few hundred metres up to the collecting point inside village, Yati in addition to in addition to Madan are waiting, immensely relieved to see me.
Recently, I read which about 112 trekkers are missing inside Langtang area. My decision which day to cut the trip short in addition to descend saved our lives. I think about the many trekkers I saw moving up the mountain, full of optimism – they are not with us anymore. The Langtang area was probably the worst hit in Nepal. April 25, 2015 was a day which I can say in all confidence was the worst day of my life.
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Nepal Earthquake April 25, 2015: A Survivor’s Report
Nepal Earthquake April 25, 2015: A Survivor’s Report