Eldlery at Pashupati old-age home take part in earthquake drill

KATHAMANDU, Oct 14: Dozens of elderly people, who were taking an afternoon nap on a two-story building of Social Welfare Centre Bridhhashram (SWCB) near the Pashupatinath Temple, were jolted out of slumber as soon as the sirens sounded on Monday.

And many started rushing out of bed while some stayed on. All of they were shouting, "Earthquake! Earthquake!"

But unlike many of us who would have panicked and rushed out of the house during an earthquake, they did not run out of the building. Instead, all of them quickly got on the floor, bend the head close to knees, covered sides of the head with the elbows, and clasped the hands firmly behind the head.

Then, slowly, they got up and started running downstairs putting their hands behind the head for an open space.

The residents of the old-age home were in fact taking part in an earthquake demonstration arranged by the Social Welfare Centre Bridhhashram in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Society for Earthquake Technology to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR).

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