The Greater Boston Nepali Community Group held an emergency meeting Saturday night in Boston's West Roxbury to support each other and try to find a way to support the victims of this devastating earthquake.
At the Himalayan Bistro, members of the community discussed fundraising, a vigil and ways to make sure family members back home were safe.
It was a chaotic and traumatic morning for the Gurung family in Belmont, Massachusetts, as they frantically tried to find out if their loved ones in Nepal had survived a 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered right in their hometown.
"I came to know everyone was safe, but my nephew was missing for six hours," said Bhuwani Gurung. "Finally, he came to contact."
They said many of their family and friends are spending tonight in the streets in fear of more aftershocks and building collapses.
"Just looking through pictures and video footage of the buildings collapsed and the [rising] death toll is really heartbreaking," said Parmita Gurung, a student at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
It was just a few years ago they visited the capital city of Kathmandu, seeing historic landmarks, like a 200-foot tower built in the 1800s. It collapsed Saturday after the earthquake, trapping at least 50 people inside.
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"It was devastating to see everyone all dusty all crowded," said Jessica Gurung.
"I just want to be with my family, and I hope everyone's OK and that everyone is going to recover as fast as possible," said Parmita Gurung. "Feeling helpless about the situation is just awful."
According to Parmita Gurung, UMass Boston has a large Nepali community that is working on fundraising efforts, as well.
"I had like no connection for four hours, I was so worried and nervous," said Bimal Nepal of his daughter, a student at Buckingham Browne & Nichols, who is in Kathmandu working on her senior project.
He finally received this text message from her that she was OK.
