As rescue crews continue to dig through the rubble of the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal Saturday, a Hicksville man was relieved today to hear from his loved ones in the region.
Arjun Prasad Mainali found out that his uncle, who lives in a small Nepalese village, survived the earthquake that has killed more than 4,000 people. Mainali's father lives in Kathmandu and managed to speak with the uncle today.
Like thousands of others in the region, Mainali's uncle and father are suffering in the quake's aftermath. "The roads are dangerous, the trains can't come," says Mainali. "The airport was shut down. In the supermarket, there is no food, no water. People are sleeping outside."
Community organizers say there are about 800 Nepalese-Americans living on Long Island. Many are now seeing what they can do to help with relief efforts, including sending money, medicine and other supplies to the area.
Durgesh Karki, president of the Long Island Nepalese Society, says emergency supplies in his native country are dwindling fast. Many places are difficult to reach, especially remote areas in the Himalayan mountains. Karki says many people remain unaccounted for.