Nepal grieves the disastrous earthquake a year on
Thousands of Nepalis grieved yesterday for their loved ones killed in a massive earthquake a year ago, as protesting victims still living in tents accused the government of failing them.
Mourners carrying candles and Nepali flags packed into Kathmandu's badly damaged historic square to pray and to mark the anniversary of the quake that ripped through the impoverished country, killing almost 9,000 people.
Thousands more were left injured in the 7.8-magnitude quake that triggered avalanches and landslides across the Himalayan nation and flattened whole villages.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli earlier laid flowers at a destroyed 19th-century tower in Kathmandu, while Buddhist monks in maroon robes held prayers at the site of another popular, now-destroyed temple.
Despite the solemn occasion, frustration against authorities flared Sunday, with around 100 protesters marching towards government offices in the capital to demand faster reconstruction efforts.
Temporary shelters
About four million survivors still live in temporary shelters across the country one year on from the quake, according to the Red Cross.
Although international donors pledged $4.1 billion to aid Nepal's recovery, political wrangling over control of the funds and delays in setting up the National Reconstruction Authority mean most victims have received nothing beyond an initial small payout.
Following a storm of criticism, the government has vowed to kickstart the reconstruction of schools and hospitals and speed up the distribution of the first $500 instalment of a $2,000 payout promised to homeless survivors.
'Remember us survivors'
Apart from the damage to hundreds of thousands of homes nationwide, the disaster reduced more than a hundred monuments to rubble and damaged another 560 structures, including centuries-old temples and royal palaces in the Kathmandu valley that attracted visitors from around the world.
The disaster struck on April 25 but commemorations were being held on Sunday -- the quake anniversary according to the Nepali calendar.
More than 1,200 health centres were also damaged and nearly 8,000 schools were destroyed or left unsafe, leaving almost one million children without classrooms.
Tired of waiting, about 110,000 families have moved back into homes that are still at risk of collapse. More than 31,000 victims have also rebuilt their own houses, taking out loans or turning to charities for help.
On top of the financial losses, pegged at $7 billion, the disaster also delivered a severe blow to Nepal's already weak economy.
(Photos: Getty Images)