You can help earthquake victims in Nepal

As the death toll rises in Nepal, people on the ground continue to search through the massive piles of rubble for survivors. As of Monday, the death toll was at 3,700.

People in eastern Idaho want to help the survivors.

“My brother confirmed that his spouse is safe and my parents are safe, but the house that my parents have been living in … that is no more,” said Jivan Khatry, who moved to the United States several years ago to study nuclear engineering.

His studies were interrupted Saturday when he saw the news: a 7.8-magnitude earthquake had hit his town.

“Earthquakes in Nepal happen within 70 to 80 years, and the last earthquake happened in 1934,” he said.

It was no surprise this one hit 81 years later, Khatry said. But the aftershocks that toppled the Dharahara Tower was another story.

“That tower lasted through the 1934 earthquake, but it collapsed in this one,” he said. “It was stunning to see that fall to the ground.”

Massive rubble and ruins account for most of the deaths near Khatmandu.

The impact to this area and to the hundreds of climbers on Mount Everest has local doctor and humanitarian leader Fahim Rahim running to the country’s aid.

“People’s need over there is very simple, and 90 percent of the people are living on the streets because of the aftershocks of buildings are cracked and have come down,” said Rahim.

Rahim already has people on the ground from the JRM Foundation for humanity in less than 24 hours, he has collected more than $15,000 and supplies to send to the area.

He leaves for Nepal on Tuesday.

People from all over the nation have sent support. Without help, Rahim said, people in Nepal will run out of water and food in the next day or two.

To donate, click here.