Rescue workers inspect the site of collapsed buildings after a second earthquake in Nepal. Photo / AP
New Zealanders volunteering in Nepal have spoken of the terror as a second massive earthquake struck the country.
A Kiwi volunteer working in Nepal said everyone "bolted" when they felt the major earthquake yesterday.
A magnitude 7.3 quake hit Nepal yesterday, killing dozens and injuring hundreds more people, less than a month after the devastating April 25 quake that left more than 8,000 dead.
Kiwi volunteer Nate Durkin told TV3's Paul Henry programme the quake sent people scrambling.
He is volunteering for a Global Peace Foundation campaign to mobilise young people in the relief effort called #RiseNepal.
"All the young people bolted out of the building. It seemed like it lasted forever.
"On the surface the Nepalese people come across as the most resilient people in the world but...I'm sure deep down everybody is suffering."
At least 37 people were killed in the quake and more than 1100 were injured, according to the Home Ministry.
World Vision CEO Chris Clarke told TV3 this morning the timing of the second quake was terrible.
The organisation has reached 30,000 people since the April 25 earthquake and relief distributions of food, blankets, temporary shelter and building materials were ongoing.
"The timing is just terrible. These communities are just starting to get used to a new normal. It's a very unusual normal, you're living in a tent, you're living outside your home.
"If there's one silver lining it's the fact that the aid workers are on the ground already."
The New Zealand Government has already pledged $2 million aid to Nepal after the April 25 earthquake.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its High Commission in New Delhi was liaising with local authorities to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the latest quake.
A spokeswoman said there were 48 New Zealanders currently registered on the ministry's Safe Travel website as being in Nepal.
"We continue to advise against all tourist and other non-essential travel to Nepal," she said.
New Zealand Nepal Society president Uddhav Adhikary said it was unclear how severely the 7.3-magnitude quake had affected areas outside Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
Mr Adhikary said he understood the second quake had severely damaged more buildings but was not thought to be as destructive as the one on April 25.
Some buildings in Nepal that were moderately damaged in the first big quake had collapsed during aftershocks in recent weeks, he said.
Frightened Kathmandu resident Ram Hari Sah told the Associated Press sleeping in a tent with his family was his only option.
"Everyone was saying the earthquakes are over. ... Now I don't want to believe anyone," he said.
Kent Page, a representative for Unicef in Nepal, told Newstalk ZB this morning he was assessing damage to a school from the first earthquake, when the second quake struck, "very fast, very hard, and very loud".
"We ran out into the courtyard and the earthquake lasted about another minute.
"It felt like a day.
"I thought the buildings were going to collapse all around us and on top of us, fortunately they did not. That school, which we had already seen major cracks in, is still standing but we have given it a red flag which means no child will enter that school whatsoever."
Mr Page said there were reports that 38 people had died in yesterdays' quake, and people were spilling out onto the streets, texting and calling friends and relatives.
Unicef was already on the ground, delivering humanitarian assistance right across the country, he told Newstalk ZB.
"We are working around the clock. The good thing is we've already been airlifting in supplies to Nepal and delivering those and that will continue.
"We face along with everyone else, big challenges, and those challenges are just a little bit bigger now. But we have a lot of experience in Unicef in dealing with natural disasters and I'm sure we are going to be able to deliver for the people in Nepal who desperately need it.
"It's a very challenging time but the... people are really strong and resourceful and they're doing the best to get through this and Unicef is here to support them as best I can."
Kiwi volunteer Reuben Harcourt said the second quake in Nepal was like "being pushed back to square one".
Recently cleared roads were now blocked with potholes, fissures and debris from falling buildings and shops that had only just reopened were now all closed, he said.
People were constantly on edge and the "calm is gone", Mr Harcourt said.
Mr Harcourt said rumble of aftershocks could be heard from the Kathmandu Valley constantly.
"Everyone drops what they are doing, freezes and listens.
"If it's a plane or thunder, people nervously laugh and shrug it off and pretend they weren't scared but if the shaking starts your ears are quickly filled with screams as everyone sprints out to the open," Mr Harcourt said.
"The illusion that earthquakes are a once off is well and truly gone and any hope people had of salvaging their half destroyed homes has been literally crushed."
Donations were needed more than ever before, he said.
Go to givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/reubennepal to find out more.
TO DONATE:
• World Vision: Nepal Earthquake Appeal visit worldvision.org.nz or 0800 90 5000
• Unicef: Visit unicef.org.nz/nepal or call 0800 243 575
• Oxfam: Visit oxfam.org.nz or call 0800 600 700
• Red Cross: Visit redcross.org.nz or call 0800 RED CROSS (0800 733 276)
• ChildFund New Zealand: Visit childfund.org.nz/Nepal-Earthquake-Appeal or call 0800 808 822
• Orphans Aid International. Visit www.orphansaidinternational.org or call 0800 ORPHAN
• Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand: Visit caritas.org.nz or call 0900 4 11 11
• New Zealand Nepal Society: Donations can be made to bank account number 01-0142-0053378-00
• Himalayan Trust Rebuild Appeal: Visit givealittle.co.nz/cause/nepalearthquake
• TEAR Fund: Visit tearfund.org.nz or call 0800 800 777
• Save the Children: Visit savethechildren.co.nz or call 0800 167 168
• International Nepal Fellowship: Visit inf.org/earthquake-appeal-new-zealand
• Habitat for Humanity New Zealand: Visit www.habitat.org.nz/donate
• The Leprosy Mission New Zealand: Visit leprosymission.org.nz/nepal or 0800 862 873
• MEND: Visit mend.org.nz
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