Diplomats, government officials and citizens gathered Sunday in sadness at a pile of remains from the once-proud Dharahara Tower in Kathmanda to mark the first anniversary of last year’s deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake.
The event comes just two days after Jews in Kathmandu celebrated the miracle of survival and escape from slavery at a festive seder on the first night of Passover.
Nine thousand people died in the massive earthquake and its aftershocks; even more were injured; it took days to rescue the wounded among the hills and valleys high in the Himalayas. In Kathmandu, 132 people died in the collapse of the iconic Dharahara tower on April 25.
Israeli rescue planes were on their way by the time a second earthquake – measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale – struck the country, killing 2,000 people.
United Hatzalah, ZAKA and IsraeLife as well as other agencies were among those who joined the IDF in the rescue effort.
Approximately 400 Israelis were in Nepal at the time of the disaster; many elected to stay and help in the rescue efforts. The earthquake was the worst to hit the country in 80 years.