The Nepalese army has rescued a 4-month-old boy who was trapped under rubble for at least 22 hours after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake buried an area about 80 kilometers from the capital Kathmandu.
Local newspaper Kathmandu Today reported that the child was in stable condition, although when he was brought to the surface, his body was covered with dust and dirt. The boy was also fortunately not injured.
The newspaper added that the Nepalese army initially failed to rescue the child and they thought he was dead. But when the baby’s cry rang out, the soldiers tried to dig and a miracle happened.
On April 28, police combined with the army to search for victims around Kathmandu. These survivor temporary shelter in a camp set up right in the heart of the capital. Tents sprang up like mushrooms, including in military areas.
United Nation (UN) announced that aid is being deployed to remote areas near the epicenter earth quake like Dhading and Gorkha. The Kathmandu Valley continues to receive food and medical supplies. The devastating earthquake killed more than 5,000 people. The survivors are desperately waiting for water and food. Nepalese officials said that on April 29, the entire electricity system in the capital will be restored.
Thousands of residents in Kathmandu snaked their way onto buses leaving the capital for fear of impending aftershocks. The Government of Nepal is providing free transportation of people who want to return to their homeland. School buses were also requisitioned due to overcrowding
The 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015 is the inconsolable grief of Nepal when more than 5,800 people were killed, 13,000 injured and about 600,000 houses destroyed. However, the photo of the moment 5-month-old Sonies Awal was rescued from the rubble after 22 hours of being buried in the rubble has become an iconic image, inspiring millions of people and is the hope for the whole country of Nepal.
Sonies is now a fun, agile 18-month-old boy. Sonies’ favorite toys are a car, a ball, and climbing stairs. Watching Sonies play with her 11-year-old sister, Sonia, her mother, Rasmila Awal, 36, sheds tears as she recalls the old story: “I try not to think much about last year’s earthquake but the memories come back and very much. It’s very sad when my children and grandchildren all died. Good luck to my family and I appreciate even more the miracle that God has given me: That Sonies survived and grew up healthy.” Rasmila thanked heaven and earth for helping Sonies not suffer any physical or mental injuries after the earthquake. ‘Because I was so young, I didn’t understand what happened to me. It is a good thing for the baby to develop normally,” Rasmila continued.
Ms. Rasmila’s happiness is intertwined with the anxiety of living temporarily because her family’s house is only a ruin on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Rasmila shared: “It’s sad because we lived there for 11 years, where my children were born and raised. Despite many difficulties at the moment, the whole family always hopes for a good future. I hope Sonies grow up healthy, go to school and achieve a lot of success.”
