Nepal quake: They survived an eight-storey fall

Two young people, who survived when the iconic Dharhara tower collapsed here during a massive earthquake, can scarcely believe their good luck.

Ramila Shrestha, 19, and her friend Sanjeev Shrestha were the survivors in the Dharhara tower collapse after the earthquake ravaged Nepal on April 25. The toll in the temblor has now risen to over 6,000.

"It came crashing down. I could hear people shouting and running but we could not escape because of the falling debris," Ramila, who has suffered head injury, bruised left cheek and fracture on her left hip, told IANS here on Friday.

Both of them were on the eighth floor when the tower began to shake violently. They fell, but survived. Over 150 people were not so lucky. They died.

Ramila and Sanjeev are currently recuperating at the National Trauma Centre here.

Sanjeev, whose right hand was fractured, said that he doesn't want to talk about the incident. He said he was constantly being hounded by the mediapersons, hungry for story.

Ramila's aunt Sushila Shrestha said: "I am very happy that she is fine." Sushila has been taking care of both of them.

The 50.5-metre-high historic tower was reduced to just its base due to the temblor.

(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)