Harrowing earthquake tales prompt outreach halfway around the world

LYNN – Pollamure Sorata can’t drive out the memory of tumbling from a chair while wall plaster crashed onto the people around him as he helps fellow Nepalese recover from the April 25 earthquake the Lynn resident endured.Sorata, a Buddhist monk who shares religious duties with Venerable Dr. Bhikkhu Praghyalok in a Cottage Street temple, was in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu when the earthquake struck.The disaster and succeeding quakes killed more than 8,000 people, injured 20,000 and left thousands of the small Asian nation’s residents homeless.”Almost all of the people are mentally sick – they are in shock. We have to make some sort of relief. They need peace,” Praghyalok said.The Cottage Street temple is one of several local spiritual homes to 50 Nepalese families living in Lynn, as well as Cambodian-, Thai- and Laotian-born residents. The temple helps support 50 Nepalese students, and its annual efforts to aid the youth will be expanded this year to help them rebuild homes destroyed by the earthquake.Temple worshippers are also coordinating Nepal relief activities with seven other Buddhist temples in Eastern Massachusetts, and the temple’s June 13 celebration of the ninth anniversary of its founding will be expanded to focus on relief assistance.”We are looking not only to solve the problem we are now facing, but also long-term needs,” Praghyalok said.The monsoon season and ongoing seismic activity are impeding efforts to ensure Nepalese residents left homeless or injured by the April 25 earthquake obtain shelter and other help.Kumar Maharjan, a Nepalese television executive, came to the United States in May, and his efforts to raise awareness about the post-earthquake challenges facing Nepal included a visit to Lynn.Maharjan was driving when the earthquake struck, and he sat in his car watching the tremors toss people to the ground. Sorata was visiting his homeland in April and had just finished lunch in a third-floor residence when the quake hit.”There was a noise and the house started to rattle. Everyone was running to find a safe place. I saw people who were injured. It was terrible,” he said.City Councilor at large Hong Net is working with local Nepalese residents, including Sorata, and others to provide ongoing support for Nepal, including a planned fundraising event.”We have to help people who are severely hurt,” Sorata said.