Death toll still rising in Nepal days after killer quake struck

The country of Nepal at the foot of the Himalayan range has been changed forever — and not in a good way. Six days after a magnitude-7.8 earthquake and its many aftershocks caused widespread devastation, the death toll has surpassed 6,000. Millions of Nepalese remain without adequate shelter, clean water and life-sustaining food, and at least 1 million children need urgent care and other help.

Countries around the world have responded well, with aid pouring in so fast that the only airport in the country has been unable to accommodate all of the aircraft bringing in medicine, tents, blankets, food, heavy earth-moving equipment and manpower. The poverty-ridden country that depends on tourism is in need of everything.

It is telling that one of the requests from the government in the capital Kathmandu was for drivers. It’s a commentary on that ancient land and helps explain why recovery and rebuilding will be a slow, painful process.

The epicenter of the killer earthquake was in the central part of the country where villages were literally flattened. Because roads are impassable, getting any kind of aid to the villages remains a challenge. Emergency care packages are being dropped by helicopters, but with each passing day the situation in those villages is becoming hopeless.

Nepal’s rising death toll is a reminder of just how defenseless poor countries around the world are against Mother Nature’s wrath. From Haiti to Indonesia to Myanmar to Sri Lanka, the story is the same: Poor people living in shanties or poorly constructed buildings (many the result of corrupt government officials turning a blind eye to corrupt contractors) are in harm’s way. Death and destruction go hand in hand.

For those who survive, the future is bleak.

Countries such as Nepal do not have the financial wherewithal to rebuild, which means the suffering of the people will continue for years to come.

And that raises a question about the international assistance that’s pouring into the Himalayan haven: How long will it last?

If the history of global disasters is any indication, it won’t be long before many countries pull up stakes. After all, they have their challenges at home.

Token of appreciation

So here’s a suggestion to ensure that Nepal will continue to receive the assistance it will need for years to come: The nearly 800,000 tourists who visited the country last year should donate money to any of the humanitarian missions as a token of their appreciation for the spiritual experience of being in one of the most beautiful settings on earth.

And to repay the hospitality of the Nepalese, the tourists should consider another visit this year — to assist with the rebuilding of the devastated country.

The humanitarian crisis will not end any time soon, and people around the world have a moral obligation to do all they can to alleviate the suffering.