The Nepalese Association of Connecticut is figuring out how to help after a destructive earthquake hit Nepal.
This as many of its members and the Nepalese community in the state try frantically to make sure their family members in Nepal are okay.
The association says several loved ones of Connecticut families were killed.
“It’s kind of hard because I want to go there and help out but there’s nothing we can do about it here just support them from our hearts,” says Sanskriti Pandey of West Hartford.
The Pandey family of West Hartford heard devastating news about their grandmother in Nepal Saturday.
When a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country, Kathmandu was hard hit. Sanskriti and Suraj Pandey’s grandmother was home with relatives there.
“She told all the family to run because they can run easily because she was like I’m going to go inside and try to get under my bed. She tried to do that. Half the body went in but she couldn’t make it in time and the whole roof just collapsed on her,” says Suraj Pandey of West Hartford.
The 85-year old was one of at least 1,800 who were killed.
“I tried to call my parents and the line is not working,” says Madhav Atreya of West Hartford.
Atreya says he was finally able to confirm his family in Nepal was okay after Saturday’s disaster.
After a 7.8- magnitude earthquake, ancient temples have been destroyed and an avalanche was triggered on Mt. Everest, which killed an American.
There are about 1,500 people in Connecticut from Nepal and some say this earthquake, which is the strongest in nearly a century, was always a fear.
“Everybody say some time it’s going to happen. Our country is very danger zone for the earthquake,” says Atreya.
As the search for survivors continue, the country was rattled by nearly two dozen aftershocks.
A magnitude-6.6 aftershock hit an hour after.
Hospitals are packed with injured people, homes are damaged, and phone lines are jammed, making it hard for people in Connecticut to connect with their loved ones in Nepal.
The U.S. has already pledged $1 million to help and is preparing to send a disaster response team.
“Everybody needs to pray for the Nepalese people,” says Atreya.
