Gift of the Givers doctors caught up in fresh Nepal quake

Two Nepali-born South African doctors caught up in this morning’s 7.3-magnitude earthquake in Nepal are scared and in shock — but are safe.

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal at about midday local time today‚ heightening fears in the already panicked country.

Thousands in rural villages and in the capital‚ Kathmandu‚ ran from their homes fearing they would collapse.

This morning’s quake‚ which was preceded by a number of aftershocks in recent weeks‚ came just three weeks after the 7.8-magnitude quake which struck on April 25. At least 8‚000 people are confirmed dead‚ with fears that the number could rise — especially after the latest incident.

The second earthquake struck near Namche Bazar‚ about 240km east of the capital Kathmandu‚ and close to the base camp of Mount Everest. According to the United States Geological Survey‚ the quake was at a depth of about 18km.

The USGS had previously warned that a second big incident was possible to realse the underground tension created by the first quake.

Orthopaedic surgeons Dr Ang Tshering Sherpa and Dr Pramod Gongal were part of the Gift of the Givers Foundation disaster relief team that went to the Nepal in the aftermath of the initial quake. They were involved in several procedures to assist locals who were severely injured.

While the rest of the team headed home‚ the two stayed behind to visit family still in the country.

Speaking via text message from Nepal‚ Sherpa‚ who was born in Namche Bazar‚ said he was terrified when the quake hit.

“Scary feeling…never felt so terrified. I’m fine‚” he said‚ adding that his family was also safe.

Pramod said a number of roads in Kathmandu were closed because buildings had collapsed.

While he had been in Nepal during a number of aftershocks that were felt by the Gift of the Givers team‚ he said today’s earthquake was vastly different.

“I was terrified for the first time‚” he said. Both doctors are due to return home in the next few days.