Last minute change of plan saves UAE photographers from Nepal quake

ABU DHABI // At noon on Saturday Lisa Seymour was supposed to be in the bustling old city of Bhaktapur near Kathmandu taking snaps of historic ruins with a group of other photography enthusiasts.

A last-minute change in itinerary meant the Abu Dhabi resident and the other 11 members of the group – the majority of whom were from the UAE – were instead miles away from the ancient temple city now reduced to rubble by Nepal’s 7.8-magnitude quake.

“I am not a religious person but somebody was looking over us that day,” said Ms Seymour.

The American expatriate, who has been living in Abu Dhabi for two years, arrived in Nepal on April 20 for a photo tour organised by Gulf Photo Plus.

The fourth day of the tour – Saturday – was a scheduled visit to Bhaktapur which boasts some the country’s unique cultural heritage, including Durbar Square, one of Kathmandu Valley’s seven Unesco World Heritage Sites which now lies in ruin.

Instead the group visited the site on Friday.

“The places we ate at, the buildings and temples we photographed, and tragically probably most of the people we photographed are no more,” said Ms Seymour.

Just before noon on Saturday Ms Seymour was instead in her room at the Manang hotel, in the less affected area of Thamel, when the earthquake struck.

“Suddenly there was a loud rumbling noise and I was thrown against the wall,” she said. “My very first thought was ‘there must be a train nearby’ – my second thought, ‘there is no train’.

“I immediately realised this was an earthquake of some magnitude.”

The force of the tremor meant she was flung across the narrow hotel corridor as she tried to escape the building.

“I can only liken it to being in a car swerving violently back and forth in the road without wearing a seat belt,” said Ms Seymour. “Plaster, tiles and various objects were falling all around me.

“I held on to the handrail literally catapulting myself down four floors. People were screaming everywhere and lying down or hovering in doorways.”

About a minute after the quake hit the violent shaking stopped, said Ms Seymour, who then tried to reunite with the other 11 members of her group.

Panic had already set in amid the devastation, she said.

“In this open area a man stood on a crumbling wall wailing and shouting to the heavens asking that the god who had sent the quake be appeased,” said Ms Seymour. “Some women gathered and started chanting.

“I saw a goat being carried to the chanting women and before I knew what was happening they had slit the goat’s neck and sprayed the blood everywhere as a sacrifice. Backpackers, tourists, locals … all of us are gathered together, terrified and not sure what to do next but wait.”

Ms Seymour said what was most notable was the dedication of the group’s two Nepalese guides, Thakur and Guru, who insisted on guiding the group to safety – despite being unsure of the fate of their own families.

An Emirati among the group helped organise flights back home for them, who all arrived back in the UAE on Monday.

Members of the group are now each donating photographs to sell in a charity auction to be held in the Dubai. “We are sending all proceeds to Nepal to help in some small way to rebuild their lives,” said Ms Seymour.

“What I went through is nothing. The exceptionally generous, loyal and unique people of Nepal have lost almost everything.”

Ms Seymour has also set up a fund-raising site at www.gofundme.com/bringbacknepal.

jbell@thenational.ae