On Saturday 25 April a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. The major cities, including the capital Kathmandu, were badly damaged, while in rural areas near the epicentre 90% of people lost their homes and livestock, and were left with no way of obtaining food. This was the worst earthquake to hit Nepal for 81 years. Millions of people were affected, at least 8,700 were killed, and more than half a million homes were destroyed.
Just over two weeks later, on Tuesday 12 May, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, adding to the destruction. In the months since, monsoon rains have triggered landslides and floods, which have made life much worse for some people.
Our Church partners are on the front line of the emergency response, providing immediate aid to hundreds of thousands of people.