Bhutanese in the Kansas City area worry about relatives in Nepal earthquake region

In a chilly room with no light, bare concrete walls and no electricity, men in Kansas City, Kan., gathered to view long lines of the dead in Nepal via social media.

These refugees from Kansas City’s Bhutanese community spoke little on Sunday as the cellphone in the middle of the long table showed the bodies lined along streets and other destruction from the earthquake that rocked Nepal over the weekend.

These men had all lived in Nepal. Most still have family there, mainly in Kathmandu. They want the world to send help. They want to hear from loved ones.

“I can’t get hold of my sister, and I’ve tried many times,” said Ram Rai, who owns the Asian grocery store, RG Asian Store at 101 S. 18th St., next door. “I know her house collapsed. But I don’t know what’s happened to her.

“I worry she is on the streets or on the ground. I guess she is with the others.”

By Sunday, the death toll from the earthquake surged past 3,000 with thousands more injured and displaced. Rescue efforts continued to be hampered by aftershocks and bad weather. Relatives overseas struggled to learn about loved ones in Nepal. Bhutan lies just to the east.

The men who gathered Sunday make up the local Bhutanese community committee. Because electricity was cut off and cell towers had toppled in the quake area, they were limited to the videos posted on social media. Elsewhere in parts of Kansas City, Kan., on Sunday, gatherings of Nepalese met to discuss the quake and to exchange information about survivors. Efforts to contact them for this story were unsuccessful.

Dhan Monger said the high death toll was because Nepal is a small country with a large, dense population.

“So many people all living so close together,” Monger said. “Now the rescue effort is having a hard time getting around. There is no room in the hospitals. The injured are just lying outside. Some have no clothes, no blankets. Without electricity, people can’t charge cellphones. That’s why we can’t get information.”

He, like the others, came to America for a better life. On Sunday, he wished he was back there to help.

Kumar Pokhrel wanted countries of the world to pitch in.

“We need doctors to hurry there to help,” he said.

The men gathered Sunday to figure out a way to raise money for the injured and displaced.

A tall glass jar sat on the counter inside the store, which sells food products of the Bhutanese and Nepalese cultures. Nearly everyone who comes in to shop asks about the earthquake.

“We will raise money and give to Red Cross,” Rai said. “Whatever people can give — five dollars, one penny. We want to help.”

Is there any good news? Yes, Rai said.

“The army is doing a good job of finding the dead bodies.”

This story was originally published April 26, 2015 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Bhutanese in the Kansas City area worry about relatives in Nepal earthquake region."