NEPAL is earthquake-prone, sitting as it does where the Indian tectonic plate is pushing under the Eurasian plate. This is what has given rise to the majesty of the Himalayas and it continues to do so as the two plates converge. Saturdays quake and its numerous aftershocks is the more devastating because of its shallow epicentre. The death toll till press time was close to 2,500, and climbing as is usually the case during such disasters. The quake triggered avalanches in the Himalayan mountains as well. The slopes of the Everest have already taken the life of a Google X boss among the 18 confirmed dead so far. Information available suggests that the avalanches are coming in swift succession, carrying large blocks of ice and flattening tents, thus keeping the situation perilous. News from other groups of climbers are still outstanding. Survivors described having to run for their lives. In Kathmandu, the 100-foot Dharahara Tower, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage Site, among many others, has been reduced to rubble. Historical relics have been razed to the ground in what is looking to be a disaster of historic proportions.
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