The final figures would reach one lakh or 100,000 deaths. I am tempted to take a rickshaw to the affected areas but I am untrained in disaster relief and unable to help in any way. I would only be in the way and probably do more harm than good. I chat with the neighbours and their children. They are getting over their fright and returning to normal.
Businesses are open and people going about their everyday routine as far as they can.
It feels as if the disaster has happened in another city. I point out to the hotel staff that people in the new part of town are trapped in the collapsed buildings. The telephone lines are down and I am unable to e-mail my friends and family that I am safe. The following day the number of deaths is estimated in the region of 5000 people. They would eventually total 5000 relief workers who would drain the disaster economy here of precious supplies as they visited wrecked sites clicking pictures.