Feature: Sorrow prevails Nepal capital after deadly quake

Smoke from burning pyres for bodies rose high and spread wide. The Nepalese, who are a quiet people, restrained from crying out loud. but one lady, with face and all head covered with shawl, was crying to the exhaustion for her dead brother and niece and her relatives were trying to stop her from jump onto the fire like a Sati.

The father and son, who went to visit the famous Dharahara tower Saturday, were killed when the 19th century cultural heritage of Dharahara Tower collapsed, burying dozens alive. The bodies of Ganesh Sahi, 29, and his nine year-old son were found on Sunday, already dead after 24 hours under the debris.

This was another kind of the dead, as 50-year-old Geeta was telling "Leela was suffering from fever but we could not keep her safe and warm in the house on Sunday night, she left us."

With the demise of here 25-year old daughter in devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday, Thapa now has to find out how she can spend the rest of her life, all alone.

While the people are not getting the space for funeral ceremony in Nepal's famous Hindu Shrine called Pashupatinath Temple, the dead bodies are are discovered under debris, spotted everywhere here, day by day.

Pashupatinath Aaryaghat (Crematorium) has so far burnt according to Hindu ritual 257 victims of the earthquake. The crematorium has Hindu priests, a temple, a dozen ghats for carrying out the burning rituals, a small river copying the Ganga in India for its function as a resting place for the dead after they were reduced to ashes,

A huge open ground nearby has been accommodating thousands of people since Saturday as many have lost homes or are afraid to stay indoors because their houses are not strong enough to withstand another quake.

Rumors are also spreading that another major quake is due to strike the Himalayan nation soon, causing an exodus of Kathmandu residents, many of whom have families in the provinces. Juna Kumal, like thousands of others, has been staying in this Tundikhel ground near the Kathmandu international airport since Saturday. "Though my families are safe but I am worried because we don't know when this disaster will leave us," she said.

At the nearby airport, planes are taking off continuously. Thousands are leaving the country, many foreign tourists as well as some from neighboring India who had work in Nepal. The Indian air force has fetched over 1,900 Indians home in two days' time, according to officials in Delhi.

Over 3,800 people have been confirmed dead by police, while over 7,000 are injured, some seriously. "The powerful earthquake of last Saturday has made me speechless as I am the only one living here and right now am helpless and homeless too," Arun Thakuri, another resident of Kathmandu who is living in open ground of Tundikhel shared his painful experience with Xinhua.

Tundikhel has become a huge tent camp with hundreds of families living under one piece of blue, red or white plastic sheet.

"I came to Kathmandu last Friday because I was appointed by a CG company to work in the capital but the very next day earthquake has shaken all my plans and dreams to work here in Kathmandu," Pradeep Jha told Xinhua.

He said there is not enough clean water, only two toilets for thousands and not enough food supplies. Police are handing out instant noodles from time to time.

While garbages are being collected daily and the ground is generally kept clean due to the sanitary habit of Nepalese, it is not possible for thousands to live like this in tents for long.

At the major government hospital in Bir Hospital's national trauma center, hundreds of people are struggling for life while about 30 doctors and 50 nurses are working around the clock to save lives.

Over 100 who were sent to the hospital from quake debris have already died so far. Lack of enough doctors, nurses, helping hands and equipment is threatening to see more lose their hope of living.

Gajendra Mani Shah, a surgeon at the hospital, said at least 70 people are waiting for emergency operations now. He said the patients and injures have been put in three different zones, green, yellow and red with the last the most serious.

The whole hospital has been turned into a huge ward with patients everywhere and injured lying on the ground. Some are staying outdoors receiving treatment.

Near the hospital is the city's main commercial main street " New Road". All shops, banks, restaurants, bars and cinemas are closed, eliminating all signs of commercial activities.

At the end of the road, the world famous and UNESCO world heritage Hanuman Durbar complex Hindu temples were reduced to the ruins.

Army rescuers were still digging for survivors and at least two bodies were seen taking out of the stone, mud and bricks in a short time.

A Danish Red Cross rescue team was standing nearby to help the rescue operation. "We should always hope that more people could be found alive. Saving lives is the priority all the time," said P.S. Damm, the Red Cross team leader.

With hundreds buried alive when it collapsed on Saturday, the once grandiose cultural palatial structure now looks like a huge tomb. Endi