The Williamstown community has rallied to help victims of the Nepal earthquake, which has left more than 8000 people dead.
Williamstown’s Santorini Restaurant, which has two employees whose families were left homeless by the quake, last week donated $2500 from a fundraising dinner to the UNICEF Nepal Earthquake appeal.
Kitchen hands Sujan Shrestha and Sandeep Gurung say their family members are unhurt but have been left in dire living conditions since last month’s quake hit the capital, Kathmandu.
Mr Shrestha said his family’s home was cracked and unsafe to occupy.
“I sent some money I was saving for my uni fees to my father and, hopefully, he will build the house properly again,” he said.
“Aftershocks are coming, still are coming, but small. They say it will last for some weeks, but who knows. A cracked house may come down any time.”
Mr Shrestha said water pipelines had been destroyed and there was no electricity.
“There was no government or any police in our area, so my father was co-ordinating our village, our ward. All the people there are living in a tent.”
Mr Gurung said his family was also uninjured, but their home was cracked inside.
“It’s good that they are safe, but the house is not safe to live in,” he said.
“They built a tent for themselves, the local people, and they all live in that area for four or five days.
“In that time, there is no one in that area living in their house. Everyone is literally living outside on the ground, without a tent, and some are living in their car.”
Mr Gurung said his family had since moved to a cousin’s area away from the epicentre.
