Nepal earthquake victims remembered

(Vatican Radio) The people of Nepal have been holding memorial services to mark the 1st anniversary of an earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and left millions homeless. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli laid a wreath at the ruins of the Dharahara tower in the heart of Kathmandu which killed 132 when it collapsed due to the force of the quake.

But there were also minor protests held, with demonstrators angry at the slow rate of reconstruction one year on.

Nepal has made almost no progress in rebuilding from the quake despite foreign donors pledging more than $4 billion in aid during a donor's conference last year.

One of the aid agencies developing a comprehensive rebuilding program is Malteser International.

As well as the reconstruction of houses, its focus will also be on providing health, clean water, and protection from future disasters.

But apart from material needs, Arno Coerver, Malteser International’s Country Coordinator in Nepal says, a year on from the quake, one of the biggest problems affecting people is  mental trauma caused as a result of the disaster.

Listen to Lydia O'Kane's interview with Arno Coerver

“There are some people that were heavily affected psychologically by the earthquake espically as long as the aftershocks lasted and it’s only since one month… that’s there’s much less aftershocks…”

Malteser International will continue working in the districts of Sindhupalchok, Kavre and Nuwakot – north and east of Kathmandu, where it is planning to build three health posts in remote and isolated areas.

8,699 people their lives in the disaster which wounded more than 22,000 and left around 2.8 million homeless.