Nepalese rally for homeland

Members of the Rotorua Nepalese community (from left) Rahul G. L, Kamala Gurung, Nikeey Silwal, Saroj Simkhada, Aayush Silwal and Sapana Dhungel. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua's Nepalese community is organising a street appeal for families affected by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that turned Kathmandu and surrounding villages to rubble.

Members of the Nepalese community will be stationed in and around City Focus on Saturday, fundraising for the severely damaged country.

Rotorua woman Nikeey Silwal said it had been a "hard few days feeling like there was no way to help".

"We don't know what to do with ourselves because we are so far away and communication is so difficult. We're just sitting here seeing all these horrible images on the news and there's nothing we can do."

She said Nepalese people living in Rotorua were devastated after hearing family members were sleeping in the streets, too scared to move indoors with aftershocks constantly rocking the country.

"My husband Aayush, who grew up in Nepal, can't sleep and is constantly worried for his parents and sister who are still in Kathmandu.

"He was able to get a hold of his family so he knows they are alive, but they are living in the streets because they are too scared to move inside with aftershocks every half hour. It's so hard for him because his home town has turned to rubble."

Sapana Dhungel has been living in Rotorua for five years and said members of the Nepalese community were feeling helpless, with no way to send aid to their loved ones.

"The phone lines are always busy so many people have turned to social media to contact family members. When news of the earthquake first reached me I tried for hours to get hold of my family, when I finally did I was relieved they were okay but it was devastating to hear our home had been destroyed."

Mrs Silwal said there were about 50 people from Nepal living here.

"There are quite a few students living in Rotorua who are from Nepal and would have left their entire family there."

Mr Silwal said New Zealanders had been supportive after the tragedy.

"We've had many Kiwis come up to us giving their support and saying they understand what we're going through, we are lucky to be able to lean on such a supportive community."