Nepal two months after the deadly earthquake

Kathmandu, Nepal – Two months after the deadly April 25 earthquake, much of the debris from Nepal’s historical sites, such as Kathmandu’s Basantapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square, has been cleared and the sites are now reopen to the public.

Most shops and schools have reopened throughout Kathmandu and other cities in the Kathmandu Valley, and life has returned to some normality.

Yet thousands of people are still living in tents, supported by international organisations and the UN. Their homes were destroyed or damaged beyond repair during the earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks that continued to rock the country.

With the monsoon rains already pouring, clearing debris from damaged homes and taking down remains of collapsed buildings has become a priority for residents. This is especially the case in cities and towns on the outskirts of Kathmandu, where residents are receiving little to no outside help in the debris clearing and reconstruction work.

According to Nepali government officials, it will cost over $6.6bn and at least five years to reconstruct and rebuild the country.

In a country with poverty levels already among the highest in the world, the earthquake has pushed nearly one million people further into destitution.