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Support with Lekali Association  for Nepal

Story:

Laprak Earthquake

You are well known through news about Nepal earthquake of 7.9 Richter scale magnitudes on Saturday 25th April 2015 at 11:56 am. The epicenter of two villages Laprak and Barpak of Gorkha district, Nepal has bably affected of 4.3 million people and the death toll is rising with the latest update of more than 8,500 deaths with 20,000 injured and many more to rise. The most badly affected by this earthquake is Laprak village, where I was born. The village of 611 houses is totally collapsed with health post (Laprak Health Post), School (Shree Manikam Devi Secondary School), Local Youth Building (Boudha Youth Club) and others. The earthquake had killed 19 peoples and more than 100 peoples are injured in Laprak village. The destruction is visible from miles that whole villages’ houses have collapsed and Lapraki peoples are homeless. They are sleeping in the open sky at 2,700m Gupsi Dada from 2100m. The affected areas are so dangerous that they could be accident at anytime. So, none dare to go to village and villagers are afraid of to cause accidents if they will go there. My heart is deteriorating situation with painful with the whole nation is suffering.

Our first priority is to support Lapraki peoples who are engaged in tourism employees. Most of the young generation are employing as Guide, Assistant Guide and Porters in the different parts of Nepal. In this connection, we missed by this earthquake of 6 Lapraki Guides and Porters while trekking to Manaslu (1 body not found), Tashi Lapcha pass trek (1 death body is still at the base camp of Tashi lapcha) and Langtang Trek (2 bodies are brought to Kathmandu and 2 bodies are not still found). The main source of income of Laprak village is by the tourism employees in the different designation. The monsoon is coming very soon in Nepal. We are planning to keep them in safe places with warm. For the moment, there are big chances of spread of epidemic diseases like diaherrea, cholera, fever, cough and many more.

Laprak village after a earthquake 

Laprak, Ripchet, Kerauja and Barpak village after a earthquake

What do we want to do?

There are hundreds of people and organizations who want to bridge the supports between communities and donors. In order to facilitate these supports, coordination is must. Coordinated effort can result better help for relief assistance. Better coordination comes as a result of good knowledge of the location, situation, needed social network and sense of attachment. Since we are local and based in Kathmandu, we think we can be of better team to bring all the people who want to help, work together or support this relief and recovery program.

Specific activities:

1. Plan, design and develop relief program and activities

2. Purchase, Receive, Store and Deliver aid (Relief) materials directly to those in need.

Play a role as bridge between government agencies, UN, NGOs, donors, individuals with communities in need of assistance. Seek necessary technical, financial assistance and much needed solidarity

Where do we want to help?

We would like to focus our efforts on coordinating relief operation in the region of Laprak (also known as Lower Manasulu), consisting of villages- Gumda, Singla, Uyiya, Lapu, Mahchekhola, Lopsibot, Kerauja, Kashi Gaun, Runchet etc.

How do we reach there?

We need a bus for a day then we have to walk 4-5 hours from Barpak (epicenter). It is trekking route area to Mansulu circuit trek, Rupinala pass trek, and Singla pass Trek. The schools, monasteries, households (600 houses), Health post and Libraries are completely collapsed.

Food:

It is reported that access to food supply gets limited day by day as most of the stored supplies are buried under the rubble. Laprak had drinking water project built in 2015 but it is completely destroyed.

Health:

Old women, sick children, people with disability do not have access to safe places; their health situation is worsening due to the lack of hospital, medicine and health worker. Local heath post needs more medicine and additional health workers who have ability to walk and work in high altitude mountains too.

Water

Laprak had drinking water project built in 2015 but it is completely destroyed. We need water pipe about 1000 meter long in Laprak. Solution: cracked house may take it

Shelter

The school, monasteries, households (611 houses), Health post and Libraries are completely collapsed. Most of the house in the state of danger no one knows to what extent technically. People are afraid to go back to their houses. Till today, people are sleeping under the open sky, continuous rain, no tent facilities, and no tumpline. Solution: cracked house may take a time to retain or collapse for the transition period, first, local method of building huts, tents will be recognized first. Tents, tumpline would be an additional help.

Clothing

The region's temperature throughout the year remains cold. This is not winter Lower Manaslu. However rain and perhaps snowfall is likely. Solution: Blankets, mattress, tents are needed.

How we do it?

Short-team relief efforts will be decided basis on the communication between locals. Our main goal will be reach the supports as quickly as possible. Mid-Term goal and Long- Term relief would consist of rehabilitation.

We are here to do co-ordination with Lapraki peoples in Kathmandu. We are free for the moment. We want to do some humanitarian work as we do not have business for the moment. Most of clients have cancelled their trips to Nepal. In this subject matter; kindly contact to us to support the Laprak village.  

LAPRAK VILLAGE

LAPRAK ’’village is the most wonderful, heavenly and exciting village of remote area of the Gorkha district, Gandaki Zone of Nepal at the altitude of 2150m from the sea level. This village lies 28.29 N and 84.78 E. This village is thickly inhabited by Gurung (98%) and Bisokarma (2%. It is 125 km northwest of Kathmandum the capital city of Nepal and 65 km northwest of Gorkha district headquarte. The temperature is warm and cool in the month of April to October and cold and snowfall in the month of November to March.

This village has its own culture, tradition and ritual They follow the practices which are followed by the their forefather. Most of them are Bon. They sacrifice animals for their forefather, Himalayas god/goddess, jungle god/goddess and bitches. The social life is replete, completely with interesting risible of life cycle, birth wedding, death etc. They are celebrates many festival like Buddha Jayanti, Ghatu dance, Lhosar, Dashain, Tihar, Maghesakkranti, chewarar, Ahaun, Rodhi etc They wear Bakhu of sheep which are made by themselves.

The main occupations of the villagers are agriculture, animal catering, abroad employee, Trekking and recruitment in Nepalese, Indian and British The main productions of this village are potato, maize, barley, wheat, millet, beans and other They harvest the herb as well Then they sell in the Nepalese market Often by the July-August, they will in the lekh to find the Yarshagompa and other medical plant and sell in the marke From there, they earn some money and manage their daily life But most of young generation as engaged in the tourism busines They are working as Trekking Guide, Mountain Guide, Trekking Cook, helpers and porter Some of them had established Trekking company in Kathmandu i.e. Trinetra Adventure P Ltd, Churen Himal Treks & Expedition P.Ltd. And Yatri Trekking P.Ltd. They are organizing trekking, expedition and other different activities in Nepal as well as in Tibet, India and Bhutan.

There is only one Secondary School in this village; which was established in 2017 B.S by His Government of Nepal upto Class V. Now, it is upto grade X. After the Grade X the students have to come to district headquarter or other parts of Nepal to continue their further studies. Most of them stop their study after X, because they can not continue their studies due to their economic problem and crisis. Now, French donors are actively involving to solve these problems. They are actively donating in constructing School Building, Hostel and other helps for the poor students. Thank you very much for them for their kind help.

Laprak village is also one of the Tourist desination of Nepal. Many tourists from different countries come to this village to visit, explore and research the life style, cultures, tradition and ritual. Visitors are heartly welcomed with respectful by offering of garlands and tika They also performed traditional dance with folk songs as per the guests’ request. This village has the facilities of telephone, electricity and others. There village is surrounding by green forest blossom plants i.e. rhododendron and other ever green shrub also. They are 30 species of rhododendron species in this village. An easy walk above the village there is nice view point Ghupshi dada of 3000m; Dharchey dada of 325m and Rukhang of 3150m. From these point views, we can see many panoramic view, mysterious and spectacular sunrise at the morning and many Himalayas range like Manaslu (8163m) Bouddha himal (6672m) Himalchuli (7893m) Rupina pass (4643m) Shringi Himal (7187m) ,Ganesh Himal (7429m) and Langtang Himalayas range, Lamjung himal, Annapurna Himalayas range etc. Laprak village is also a way to do Manaslu Treks.

HELP LAPRAK VILLAGE

01. Introduction:

Laprak Landslide is situated in Laprak village in Laprak VDC, a remote village in the northern part of Gorkha district and can be reached after a 3 days walk from the district headquarter Gorkha Bazzar. There are some 520 households in Laprak village and has 3,900 population. Gurungs (98%) and Dalits (2%) are main residents in Laprak village. Following a continuous rainfall for more than 24 hours, Laprak Landslide took place on 3rd July 1999 (19 Ashad , 2056) sweeping away one woman, 5 houses & some 2 hectares (40 ropanies) of cultivated land along sides of the Chhelong Khola and ever since, the Landslide is posing a great threat to the entire Laprak village.

2. Geology:

It is situated on a steep slope facing north at an elevation of 2100 m (6930 feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL) and is fed by the Raizo river at its toe. Laprak village is situated on an old landslide deposited colluvial soil mass. The soil deposit varies from place to place within the Landslide area presumably from 5 to 15 m. The rock type consists of mica schist, phyllitic quartzite and gneiss. The rock bed is estimated to be at a depth of 5 to 15 m from the top soil and is facing semi parallel to the slope.

3. Present situation of the Landslide:

Though the Laprak Landslide first took place in July 1999, it is still active and continuously expanding, specially during the monsoon period. According to the classification of Landslide, it is a complex one. There are rotational as well as translational Landslides. Particularly the soil deposit along the sides of the Chhelong Khola is moving down year after year and the houses at the vicinity of this Khola are more vulnerable. There are also many large tension cracks measuring in width from 15 to 35 cm and length from 3 to 9 m. The landslide is 70 to 600 m wide and 1470 m long. New crevasses and fissures (tension cracks) are developing in and around the village.

4. Effect of the Landslide:

Presumably because of the Landslide, almost more than 90% existing houses in Laprak village have suffered many cracks on the floor and wall and the foundation has gone under the differential settlement. In consequence, most houses are bulged and tilted (Figure ). These houses, since are made of thick dry stone walls, there is a possibility of more casualty in the event of collapse of these buildings. Even a small Richter scale earthquake or any type of ground movement may trigger the existing houses crumbled and thereby may kill people living there in. Therefore the first priority should be given in making the existing houses restructured as part of the Laprak Landslide mitigation and control.

5. Recommended preventive and control measures:

I. For Laprak Landslide, the best way would be shifting locals to other safer locations. Unfortunately, there is no suitable place in the vicinity of Laprak village to shift the whole 520 houses. However, the recent study has considered a location suitable for the settlement, which lies on the way to Gumda village, some 1 hour walking distant from Laprak, which may accommodate some 60 to 80 houses (Figure ). The most high risk zone areas as depicted in the figure can be shifted to this location. Migration to city or Terai areas seem to be ineffective as most locals intend not to leave Laprak village (their birthplace) as possible as there for different reasons (cultural, social, climatic, employment, etc.) unless the whole village becomes unsuitable for living due to the landslide. Most locals do not understand the threat to their lives posed by the Landslide.

II. Since the landslide is deep and is slipping from the interface between the rock and soil mass, controlling it at this stage means investment of a huge sum of budget and if the measures are not applied correctly, there is a high probability that similar Landslides may occur in the future. The application of civil & bio-engineering structures will help control from further spreading the existing landslide but it is a slow process. At least it may take 5 to 10 years to stabilize the moving mass by this technique. For sure, these remedial measures are not effective to control the immediate movement of the active ground movement because the landslide is deep and large. Unless the structures are embedded into the rock bed, they can’t work effectively and for that, it is almost impossible to do so by the existing resource (manual excavation).

III. There is a great risk that a small ground movement or ground shaking (due to ground creep or earthquake) may trigger the existing buildings partly or completely collapse, thereby an untoward casualty may take