Feature: Survivors in worst-hit district in Nepal quake appeal for help

Sindhupalchowk, a district near capital Kathmandu, is the worst-hit area after a powerful earthquake rattled Nepal on April 25, with the highest number of casualties, massive destruction of buildings and loss of livestock.

Official estimates have placed the number of deaths in Sindhupalchowk at 2,648 and 734 others were injured as of noontime on Sunday.

The death toll from the quake in the whole nation has surpassed 7,000 on Sunday with thousands still missing.

Residents of Sindhupalchowk have been complaining of lack of relief assistance from the Nepal government, particularly food and basic items, despite reports of massive aid from foreign donors that have arrived in the country. "I wonder why this district, which is just a 4-hour drive by vehicle from the capital and has the biggest number of deaths and infrastructure damage, has been ignored by the government. Until now, no relief assistance has reached our district," Durga Bahadur Shrestha, a survivor, told Xinhua over phone on Sunday.

Shrestha is a resident of Phulping Danda VDC (Village Development Committee) of Balefi in Sindhupalchowk District who lost four members of his family in the disaster, his two daughters, a son and a sister-in-law.

Fortunately, Shrestha, his wife and brothers survived as they were out in their cornfield when the quake struck.

"It's already been the 8th day after the tragedy but only one helicopter dropped 10 sacks of rice, 70 tents and oil packets in my VDC. But since many victims here are suffering from hunger, not to mention the rains and the cold weather, we certainly need more assistance. We are appealing to the authorities to send us more aid," Shrestha said.

According to Shrestha, the quake has devastated an entire village in the district as the number of houses still standing can be counted just by the fingers. There are no safe places in the village because everywhere there are wide cracks on the ground, not to mention the rubble and debris.

He said since the bodies of the victims as well as the carcasses of animals are rotting, there is a possibility of an outbreak of diseases or an epidemic.

"We are living under the tents, spending nights under the open sky, braving the rains and cold, amid fears of new aftershocks and vandals who might attack us," another survivor told Xinhua.

The authorities in Kathmandu have said that because of damaged roads caused by avalanche and landslide due to the earthquake, they have difficulties in delivering relief goods to remote areas. Over the weekend, Nepali officials have requested for more helicopters from foreign governments to speed up delivery of relief packages to the remote areas.

Other mountainous districts surrounding the Kathmandu Valley have also been hit by the earthquake, Nepal's deadliest in over 80 years. Endi