More anguish for Nepalese workers

Saroj K.C, Parash Acharya, Sushil Acharya and (front) Amrit Kayastha. Photo/Andrew Warner

A second earthquake in Nepal has devastated four Nepalese men working in the Bay who say their homeland has been shattered.

More than 8000 people died in the Anzac Day earthquake and a dozen more were killed in the 7.3 quake that rocked Nepal on Tuesday.

The men, who live at a backpackers in Tauranga, heard of the second earthquake about 6pm on Tuesday.

"I saw Nepal had another earthquake, I start yelling at these guys and they came and we started calling but we couldn't get anything." said Saroj K.C.

Phone communication was down around the area of Kathmandu but only a couple of the men could make contact with their families.

All four men grew up together in small villages not far from Kathmandu.

Mr K.C said they travelled back to Kathmandu for a holiday two months ago and said the exact spot where they had lunch was now "wiped out".

"We have a lot of memories growing up over there," said one the men, Armit Kayastha.

"We spent 23 years going to the same place everyday before and after college to have something to eat and drink tea, but now we've lost everything."

The spot Mr Kayastha is talking about is Durbar Square where centuries of history was destroyed.

Mr K.C said thousands of people were now camping in make-shift tents outside their damaged homes amongst fallen debris.

"The earthquakes will keep coming up. My neighbours house is completely destroyed after the second earthquake," said Mr K.C.

Mr Kayastha said his family was okay but they had "lost everything."

He said their families did not share much detail about how they are or what is happening over there because they did not want to worry them.

"They say ' we are all right you don't have to worry about us' but we do and we can't help them," Mr K.C said.

Parash Acharya said two cousins, aged 6 and 9, had died in the April earthquake. His family did not want to share their grief.

Mr Acharya said his family were okay coping with the devastation but the home he grew up in was now "totally destroyed".

Mr Kayastha said family members had told him not to come home because "it's just another burden to them".

"If I go there it wouldn't make any difference. They want me to stay here and be safe. I would be just another mouth to feed." said Mr Kayastha.

Sushil Acharya said the best thing they could do from the other side of the world was pray.

"We are far away from our country and we can only help them somehow financially, but apart from praying, that's pretty much it." said Mr Acharya.

Mr Kayastha said the biggest help they could get is if their visas were extended.

Mr Kayastha said they had been looking for local jobs to stay longer so they could support their families in Nepal.

"The problem for us here is trying to get a job so we can financially secure an extended visa. Then at least we can feed our families." said Mr Kayastha.

"I feel lucky that my family is alive and my neighbours are alive, but if the same thing keeps happening again, I don't know," Mr K.C said.