Bishwakarma family survives by luck

By Raju Lamichhane/Sahadev Basnet,Rukum West/Jajarkot, Nov. 5: Rupak Bishwakarma, 23, of Bheri Municipality-3 Syala, Jajarkot, went to bed late as his younger brother did not return from a local fair in Athbishkot Municipality of Rukum West.  

He stayed in the room with his parents talking about family affairs and expressing concerns about the non-return of his brother. Although they have their home in Syala, they have been staying in Rimna where they were living in a two-storied house built from stone and mud. 

"When my brother did not come till midnight, I went to my bedroom. I was about to sleep, but I felt soil falling upon me from the roof. I tried to get up and run out but my cot moved like a swing and I crashed against the wall, then fell on the floor,” Rupak, who came to Rukum District Hospital Salle for treatment, said. 

He further added, “When I was trying to get up, wood, mud and stones fell from above and pressed me down. I kept one hand above my head to save it. But debris kept falling on me and it buried me under. Then I went unconscious.” 

He sustained injuries on his head. He saw some flickering lights and tried to open his eyes. His mouth also seemed to be closed with mud. He breathed out forcefully, and the mud came out. 

Rupak had a feeling that he was about to die. After the tremors ceased, he slowly removed the debris with his one hand. “I had received injuries on my face, head, hands, legs and knees but I didn’t care at that time,” he said. 

Narrating the nightmare-like experience of the earthquake, Rupak said, "I stood up with strength. There was an uproar in the village. I went to the room where my parents were sleeping. There was a big fear that something had happened as the upper floor of the house was entirely levelled to the ground floor and my parents had fallen down to the lower floor.”

His parents were buried under the debris of wood, mud and stones of the house. “I was confused about what to do. Meanwhile, my mother shouted - save me. I removed the mud, wood and stones with my fingers. I found my mother's hair. I dug and removed the soil around her as if I were digging with a spade,” Rupak said with a sigh of relief and fear, “I took out my mother.” 

When he was taking his mother out, blood started flowing from his finger. At the same time, his brother also reached there screaming. Meanwhile, the voice of their father who was shouting ‘save me’ gradually became muffled. “I was afraid that my father would stop breathing. I asked my brother to remove the soil, wood and stones from around father and went out to seek help from the neighbours,” said Rupak. “We two brothers with the help of five friends took out our father. His nostrils and mouth were filled with mud. Meanwhile, he coughed and mud came out from nose and mouth. We sensed he was alive,” he added. 

There was a terrible commotion in the village. Everyone was looking for different ways to go to the hospital. The road from there to Jajarkot was blocked by landslides caused by the earthquake. 

They reached Sani Bheri Rural Municipality-1 in Rukum Paschim after crossing the Chainbagar Bridge. By then, the ambulance brought for rescue had arrived there. 

Many people came to the village for treatment. Rupak said, "Now my father Dandabir has been discharged after his condition improved. My mother Kalpana and I are in the hospital. Mother has pain in the back of her body and bones. I have bruises all over my body. Our lives were saved by the grace of God,” said Rupak.