News of Nepal's earthquake shook Apeckchya Karki out of bed in her Minneapolis home around 3 a.m. Saturday, setting in motion frantic efforts to check the welfare of her large family back in Kathmandu.
Karki, president of the Association of Nepalese in Minnesota (ANMN), learned from her brother that their family was safe because many were attending a social gathering at a location that endured minimal damage during the quake.
Early Saturday, Karki said, ANMN gathered for an emergency board meeting to discuss relief efforts. By midmorning, the nonprofit posted a link on its website (anmn.org) for donations that it said would be directed to the Red Cross and other efforts in Nepal. ANMN — which was founded in 2004 — estimates that there are about 3,000 people of ethnic Nepali, Bhutanese and Tibetan heritage living in the Twin Cities.
"Fortunately I haven't heard of anyone whose family was injured," Karki said. "There's a lot of loss with buildings or properties. I'm hearing stories of people staying outside of their homes. People are still scared. Tonight it will be hard for people to even sleep inside."
Karki said most people in the Twin Cities have reached family members through social media or cellphones because land lines in Nepal have been weakened. She said she spoke with one local woman whose early morning phone conversation with her mother was interrupted by her mother shouting, "Earthquake!" and the phone disconnecting. Later, Karki said, the woman learned that her mother was unharmed.
In addition to accepting donations through its website, ANMN also established an e-mail for any questions: anmn.fundraising@gmail.com
Stephen Montemayor • 952-746-3282
