Singaporean photographer Zakaria Zainal, whose book Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes presents portraits of Nepalese veterans now back in their hometown after their service in Singapore, was in the Himalayan nation when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Saturday.
From Nepal, Zanial posted this first-person account of what happened on that day to the Facebook page of Our Gurkhas. "I sincerely hope my Singaporean friends can display their generosity now, and help in whatever capacity possible," he writes. We are reprinting his statement below:
It was like any other lunch appointment in Kathmandu. As usual, I would pass the phone to the driver. The person I'm meeting helps with directions. We meet at the chowk.
But this was no ordinary day.
Before making payment, a mother's shrill cry pierced through the air looking for her child. I didn't realize what happened before I felt the earth move beneath me. The scale of the 7.8 earthquake was unprecedented — I felt seasick on land.
People on the street scattered to find open spaces away from buildings. Their eyes fixated on what was above -- and many, in a skillful dance, their hands firmly embracing their loved ones without looking .
Fortunately there was no major building collapsing or roads split wide open. We were the lucky ones.
Quickly I left the car and ran towards my Nepalese friend. It's been close to a year since I last met Narayan Wagle from the Asia Journalism Fellowship 2014. We looked at each other and we knew this was history.
He was holding his daughter and I knew I had to go. My wife was elsewhere.
Most stood outside their cars, worried when the next aftershocks would come. "I need to be with my wife," I said in a terrible mix of Nepali and English to another taxi driver.
He agreed.
Everyone was on the streets. From Baluwatar to Thamel. Exteriors made of just brick and cement collapsed -- scattered on the road and forcing us to detour. By now, I had dialed my wife's number 21 times but to no avail. What might have happened is something I could not bear to think.
Then it rang.
"I'll meet you at the Greenline Bus station," Aqilah said before reception disappeared. 5 seconds. When I got off the car, I ran to search and found her. We were the lucky ones.
Every 30-40 minutes, aftershocks would arrive unwelcomed. Tourists and locals alike squatted and huddled together in prayer. What do we do? Do we stay put and keep safe or do we run back to our guesthouse? ( has it collapsed by now? )
We decided to walk from Thamel to Tundikhel. Every 10 minutes we would see old buildings in ruins. The exterior would crumble and reveal the living rooms or bedrooms of people. That old photograph hung on the walls or the Mickey Mouse bedsheets used by children living inside.
We continued walking. We were the lucky ones.
From our phones, reports and photographs of temples and places of great heritage value gone in an instant.
Police and the army jogged on the main roads to reach their destination for search and rescue. People on the scene worked together to remove debris and rubble in the hope that their friends or family can be found. Or injured the very least.
They were not the lucky ones.
Last night, scores of people slept out at fields, roads or their courtyard, worried that an earthquake or tremors might return. Last night, in the cold and darkness — the whole city had no power — we were awoken every so often. And every time we would prepare our bodies to jump out from the porch, in case the tremors got worse.
And the days pass, there will be people who need water, food and blankets to keep themselves warm. We do not know when the tremors will go away. Just an hour ago, another earthquake struck, measuring 6.7.
This is my eight visit to Nepal. Every time I return, I leave more of myself here.
Friends — from the Gurkha community to journalists — who would not think twice about helping you or inviting you to their homes for a hearty meal. Friends who taught me that, in Nepal, generosity has no boundaries. There is no end to how much they can give. I sincerely hope my Singaporean friends can display their generosity now, and help in whatever capacity possible.
Let's help and rebuild this country.
Singapore Red Cross (15 Penang Lane; Mon-Fri 9am-6pm) is accepting cash and cheque donations for its relief efforts in Nepal. Walk-in cash donations accepted; cheques can be posted, payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’, indicate ‘Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund’, donor’s name, contact number and address at the back. Donations to overseas relief are not entitled to tax deduction.
Photo from the book 'Our Gurkhas' by Zakaria Zanial
Singaporean photographer Zakaria Zainal, whose book Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes presents portraits of Nepalese veterans now back in their hometown after their service in Singapore, was in the Himalayan nation when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Saturday.
From Nepal, Zanial posted this first-person account of what happened on that day to the Facebook page of Our Gurkhas. "I sincerely hope my Singaporean friends can display their generosity now, and help in whatever capacity possible," he writes. We are reprinting his statement below:
It was like any other lunch appointment in Kathmandu. As usual, I would pass the phone to the driver. The person I'm meeting helps with directions. We meet at the chowk.
But this was no ordinary day.
Before making payment, a mother's shrill cry pierced through the air looking for her child. I didn't realize what happened before I felt the earth move beneath me. The scale of the 7.8 earthquake was unprecedented — I felt seasick on land.
People on the street scattered to find open spaces away from buildings. Their eyes fixated on what was above -- and many, in a skillful dance, their hands firmly embracing their loved ones without looking .
Fortunately there was no major building collapsing or roads split wide open. We were the lucky ones.
Quickly I left the car and ran towards my Nepalese friend. It's been close to a year since I last met Narayan Wagle from the Asia Journalism Fellowship 2014. We looked at each other and we knew this was history.
He was holding his daughter and I knew I had to go. My wife was elsewhere.
Most stood outside their cars, worried when the next aftershocks would come. "I need to be with my wife," I said in a terrible mix of Nepali and English to another taxi driver.
He agreed.
Everyone was on the streets. From Baluwatar to Thamel. Exteriors made of just brick and cement collapsed -- scattered on the road and forcing us to detour. By now, I had dialed my wife's number 21 times but to no avail. What might have happened is something I could not bear to think.
Then it rang.
"I'll meet you at the Greenline Bus station," Aqilah said before reception disappeared. 5 seconds. When I got off the car, I ran to search and found her. We were the lucky ones.
Every 30-40 minutes, aftershocks would arrive unwelcomed. Tourists and locals alike squatted and huddled together in prayer. What do we do? Do we stay put and keep safe or do we run back to our guesthouse? ( has it collapsed by now? )
We decided to walk from Thamel to Tundikhel. Every 10 minutes we would see old buildings in ruins. The exterior would crumble and reveal the living rooms or bedrooms of people. That old photograph hung on the walls or the Mickey Mouse bedsheets used by children living inside.
We continued walking. We were the lucky ones.
From our phones, reports and photographs of temples and places of great heritage value gone in an instant.
Police and the army jogged on the main roads to reach their destination for search and rescue. People on the scene worked together to remove debris and rubble in the hope that their friends or family can be found. Or injured the very least.
They were not the lucky ones.
Last night, scores of people slept out at fields, roads or their courtyard, worried that an earthquake or tremors might return. Last night, in the cold and darkness — the whole city had no power — we were awoken every so often. And every time we would prepare our bodies to jump out from the porch, in case the tremors got worse.
And the days pass, there will be people who need water, food and blankets to keep themselves warm. We do not know when the tremors will go away. Just an hour ago, another earthquake struck, measuring 6.7.
This is my eight visit to Nepal. Every time I return, I leave more of myself here.
Friends — from the Gurkha community to journalists — who would not think twice about helping you or inviting you to their homes for a hearty meal. Friends who taught me that, in Nepal, generosity has no boundaries. There is no end to how much they can give. I sincerely hope my Singaporean friends can display their generosity now, and help in whatever capacity possible.
Let's help and rebuild this country.
Singapore Red Cross (15 Penang Lane; Mon-Fri 9am-6pm) is accepting cash and cheque donations for its relief efforts in Nepal. Walk-in cash donations accepted; cheques can be posted, payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’, indicate ‘Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund’, donor’s name, contact number and address at the back. Donations to overseas relief are not entitled to tax deduction.
Photo from the book 'Our Gurkhas' by Zakaria Zanial