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Cover Stories

Sarita Tamang, 20 years, Dhading.

The day was as usual as other day. The major occupation of my family is agriculture and all of my family members were working in the field as it was the season of plantation. But I was sleeping and was at rest at the time as the delivery due date was approaching. I was really excited and planning for the welcome a new member in the family also because it would be my first child. All of a sudden a huge turmoil struck upon my house. Hence to save myself and another life within me, I tried to run out of the two storied house as fast as I could.

I moved out in a safe region but could see my house crumbling down as pile of rubble in front of my eyes. I couldn’t hold my emotions and started crying.

For the safety with great difficulty, I was taken to a hospital to which I was a regular ANC. The aftermath of the disaster had created a real havoc and crowd in the hospital. Hence they recommended coming back only after few days. I couldn’t risk my health so I came to Patan Hospital. As I came to Patan Hospital, I received a quick response from the disaster rescue team and was advised that I had to undergo an immediate surgery.

As per the suggestion I went through the surgery after which I am not in sound health with a newborn girl child with me but it’s hard for us as we are now homeless and don’t have enough money to sustain ourselves with my newborn. In the mean time the hospital is providing food and shelter but I’m in dire strait condition with a dilemma whether I can sustain myself and my new-one not knowing where to go and I don’t want to take my baby to the tented-house where my family has  to and are now taking shelter?

Tara Maharjan, 50 years, Khokhana, Lalitpur.

I was at home cooking lunch for myself and my husband. I believed that the food that I had cooked would have definitely cherished my husband, who was working at the second floor of the house.

All of sudden, a huge quake struck the house and my life. With great uncertainty, I managed to run till second floor but the house collapsed which hassled on the half-way and went unconscious.

When woke up, I was on the bed of Patan Hospital and was told that I was rescued from a huge pile of rubble of my own destroyed house. I searched for my husband but he wasn’t around and came to know that he survived through more serious injuries and is getting treatment in Bir Hospital. I don’t know whether he will overcome though it or not?

Chattra Bahadur Pradhan, Sanepa, Lalitpur.

My 7 years old daughter, Anjila Pradhan, has been always scoring good grades in exams. Even though I didn’t have an opportunity to study, I was sure that my daughter will be a great asset to my nation.

She craves for chocolates very much. So as always I gave few rupees to let her have some after lunch. Then she rushed outside to a nearby shop to have it. But the day didn’t turn to be normal to her. In the noon, when the earthquake hit, the wall of her own school was turned to be her enemy and collapsed on her. At the same moment our house started trembling and I hasten to get out of my home. Then I heard a scream of my daughter. In the mean time, my brother-in-law was indulged in recovering her from the collapsed wall which had her obscured.

I immediately took her to a private hospital nearby but she wasn’t attended as per her health seriousness beside prescribing painkillers. So after two days, on my request, she was referred to Patan Hospital where immediate X-ray followed by surgery was conducted. Now I’m hopeful that she would recover soon and will resume the upgraded class in the school.