On the afternoon of May 12, a powerful earthquake registering 7.3 on the Richter scale struck Nepal, the second in less than three weeks. Terrified by the strong tremors, people rushed onto the streets. Members of the Tzu Chi relief and medical team working there at different locations all reported their safety at once. The team began to check on the safety of other relief groups and comfort the terrified residents. Since May 10, Tzu Chi has held distribution of relief goods for more than 5,000 families. The goods include bags of rice, dal, sugar, oil, salt and hygiene packs.
At 12:50pm Nepal time (5/12 15:05 Taiwan time), a quake of magnitude 7.3 struck Nepal again. The epicenter this time was at Namche Baza, less than 100 kilometers east of Kathmandu. With a depth of only 18 kilometers, such a shallow earthquake often causes enormous damage.
When the quake hit, the members of Tzu Chi relief and medical team felt the horrifying shock. Some thought they had a flat tire. It also caused a power outage in the city. The team immediately sent footage via internet. People were rushing onto the streets, badly shaken by the strong tremors. While some tried to escape from buildings, others were frantically calling their loved ones. Motorcycles and buses were stuck in traffic. Some said that they were afraid to sleep indoors at night.
According to the Tzu Chi volunteers in Nepal, the earthquake interrupted the relief aid distribution that was under way. People were shocked by the tremors and screamed. Volunteers immediately went to comfort the residents. The distribution was later resumed.
From May 10 to 12, Tzu Chi held relief distributions, providing rice, sugar, oil and packs of daily necessities; over 5,000 households benefited. In medical clinics, Tzu Chi has treated about 3,000 people and provided 6,000 servings of hot meals. In Taiwan, the second Sunday of May is Mother's day and Buddha's day. On May 10, volunteers held a Buddha Day ceremony for residents, to comfort them in body and mind. (By Tzu Chi Foundation)
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