CHICAGO — The death toll is climbing in Nepal after a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the mountainous nation, triggering avalanches throughout the region.
The government has declared a state of emergency and one official said more than 2,300 people had been killed in the disaster, which is the worst the country's seen in 80 years, the BBC reported.
Local groups in and around Chicago have pledged to fundraise to support the earthquake relief efforts.
Beni Madhav Kandel is president of the nonprofit Chicago Nepali Friendship Society, 5841 N. Winthrop Ave., which has a mission to support Nepalese immigrants in Chicagoland. He told DNAinfo Chicago Saturday, "We're still now contacting friends and committee leaders to see how we can help Nepal," adding that it was a hectic morning trying to contact family back in Nepal as well as galvanizing action locally.
"The disaster in Nepal, we still don't know how many dead, how many people injured, how many million dollars they need," Kandel said.
While he has relatives in the country now, he said his hometown is not near the earthquake's epicenter and his family is safe. "They feel the earthquake but they are safe and have some property damage," Kandel said.
He added that he heard reports of people in devastated areas who are still scared to enter buildings, and some are sleeping outdoors in the open.
About 2,000 Nepalese families live in the Chicagoland area, according to Ankur Sharma, secretary of the Nepali American Center,
Sharma said his organization, based in Mount Prospect, has been working with other groups in the Chicago area, including CNFS, to coordinate fundraising efforts.
"It's a huge disaster - I think we're still in shock, it's not stopped yet," Sharma said. "They're still getting aftershocks. But we are trying to stay positive right now. It's a huge loss to the nation and a lot of people out there."
Nepali American Center, a nonprofit, is accepting donations through Paypal on its website.
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago also announced it is raising funds Sunday morning. Spokesman Joel Schatz said, "[Our group] has a long history of responding to these types of natural disasters."
He added, "[The funds] are channeled through several international agencies who we work with on a regular basis, who are often the first ones on the scene. ... they help in immediate search-and-rescue-type situations, and will also stay on the ground to address many of the longer-term issues."
More information about donating through JUF is available here.
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