Blog Post

Update from Nepal after April Earthquake

Scott Francisco, founder and director of New York-based design firm Pilot Projects, left New York City for Nepal on April 22. He couldn't have known his trip would coincide with the most devastating earthquake to strike the country in over 80 years.

While in the Kathmandu Valley prior to the quake, Scott connected with colleague Dr. Sarah Jane Wilson of the University of Michigan, a forest geographer who had traveled to Nepal a few weeks before to conduct in-person research on community-based reforestation.

Sarah and Scott were in Bhaktapur, a historical kingdom just outside Kathmandu, when the earthquake struck. They scrambled out of their crowded bus along with about 30 locals to find the ground swaying beneath them and the sight of dust clouds in surrounding neighborhoods—which they soon realized were from the collapse of ancient buildings.

The devastation of historic palaces, temples, and monuments, like those in Kathmandu's Durbar Square, has been front-page news since the disaster hit. But Scott and Sarah, as eyewitnesses, made a few less-publicized observations as they conducted informal building assessments and constructed temporary shelters for families.

First was community action. In the days following the disaster, Nepalese residents of the Kathmandu Valley worked together to secure and protect the pieces of historic artifacts located in and around the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur from rain and theft—particularly the irreplaceable wood carvings which are an integral part of many historical buildings. It was only on the third or fourth day—after several heavy and potentially destructive rains—that army personnel reached these areas and extended their help with the preservation effort.

Second is the urgent need for secure shelter. While initial relief efforts understandably focused on dispatching medical aid, food, water, and tents, impending monsoon rains (usually heaviest in June) make the need for permanent structures both urgent and vast. Many historic and traditionally-built houses, as well as historic monuments, in cities like Kathmandu and Patan and in outlying villages, have been severely damaged. In some areas, an estimated 90% of the building stock has been rendered unusable.

Third, recent WMF support has helped restore and reinforce several historic structures through carefully designed structural retrofitting. While meeting with representatives of the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, Scott learned from president Rohit Ranjitkar that beginning in 2000 World Monuments Fund assisted with the conservation of several important buildings in the Patan Royal Palace Complex. It was clear that these particular monuments would not have fared as well in the earthquake had it not been for this earlier conservation work.

In an effort to help with shelter and preservation efforts, Scott and Sarah are coordinating small teams of volunteer engineers and architects to conduct structural assessments and remediations on homes and public buildings (of both ancient and modern construction) on 10-day, self-funded trips. In addition to addressing the destruction in the city, there is also a great need for help in remote villages, where many homes were built using traditional materials, without adequate consideration of seismic events. Many buildings that are still standing may not be safe to inhabit, and thousands of people are unsure of whether or not they can safely return home. Find out more about the initiative and this unique opportunity to learn and help.

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