Langtang Village Before and After Earthquake

23 Jul 2024 Himalaya Trip

Langtang Village is Nepal’s majestic region, also named the hidden gem for trekkers and tourists. In 2015, the village was destroyed by natural disasters and had to be rebuilt again. This blog will discuss Langtang Village’s condition before and after the earthquake. Langtang village is very popular with the local people of Nepal. Still, in recent times, it has become equally endearing to the locals and even more to the foreigners visiting the country for the first time.

Over the years, Langtang Valley and the village have become one of Nepal’s most endearing tourist destinations. It has overtaken many trekking routes and is Nepal’s third most popular spot. Langtang Valley Trek is also one of Nepal’s best short trek destinations. However, after the incident of 2015, not many people believed that the fate of Langtang Village would change so much. So, let’s discuss the condition of the Langtang Village before and after the dangerous earthquake.

Langtang Village Before the Earthquake

Before the Earthquake, Langtang Village was quite beautiful, small, and peaceful. The inhabitants of the Langtang Village were migrants from Tibet who descended more than 60 years ago after a terrific war in their native countries. Before the earthquake, Langtang Valley was doing well. Although tourism was not quite developed and wasn’t at its peak, other businesses like agriculture, animal husbandry, and small-scale industries flourished then.

From the early 1970s, trekking in Langtang Village started getting momentum. The people began establishing guest houses, hotels, lodges, and homestays, but compared to other regions in Nepal, like Everest and Annapurna, the number of guests was minimal. Since the area was not as famous, the tourists did not want to take risks, but those who were experienced and familiar with the country loved trekking in Langtang Village.

Date of Earthquake

Langtang Village and its people were happy and satisfied on the morning of April 25, 2015, and they had no idea what would hit them. Just the day before, people celebrated the local festival in Ghawa, so the morning was slow, and people stayed in their beds longer as it was Saturday. Trekkers visiting the village were ready for the day’s trek, and some were already heading towards the next teahouse.

At almost noon, at precisely 11:56 am, the earth began to shake violently, leaving the villagers dumbfounded. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake started, and the epicenter was Barpark, Gorkha. The hilly region of Nepal crumbled into dust due to the structure of old homes, temples, and monasteries. The earthquake lasted for more than 2 minutes, and after that, everything went silent. However, Langtang Village was about to face something even worse.

In the far mountain, another dangerous shaking sound started gathering pace in the ears of the villages. It was nothing but another catastrophe; this time, it was in the form of an avalanche. Since Langtang village lies just on the south base of Langtang Lirung, the landslide of the mountain fell directly on the town. Within minutes, the avalanche wiped out the entire village, killing several people and animals and destroying millions worth of properties.

According to the reports, the avalanche carried almost 40 tons of rocks, ice, and debris and killed over 240 people in the village. Most people were local, and some were tourists and trekkers from foreign countries. The country was panicking as one of its most lovely villages was under the rubble.

The place that suffered from the landslide is still visible, and there is a sacred mani wall that pays homage to the people who lost their lives.

After the Earthquake

After the earthquake and avalanche affected the Langtang region, the government of Nepal started rescue operations. The medical and scout personnel were on their toes to attend to the severely injured people. Nepal Army was constantly traveling back and forth in helicopters to rescue the people or pick out dead bodies beneath the rubbles.

Along with the loss of life of many people and animals, the earthquake and avalanches also impacted the infrastructure as they destroyed the buildings, stables, wells, bridges, etc, and had to be rebuilt from the start. The telecommunication lines like telephone, mobile cell, and even TV networks were destroyed, making the rescue process even more difficult.

Despite the difficult conditions, the rescue and rebuilding effort flowed entirely. The new Langtang Village was relocated to a new place just 200m ahead of the village, which was utterly destroyed. New buildings and infrastructure like bridges, communication industry, etc., were built from scratch with earthquake-resistant materials. Furthermore, Nepal also started receiving aid from the local NGO and the international INGO, which helped the country by assisting with money, workforce, etc.

Recovery and Rebuilding of Langtang Village

The Langtang Village has been completely recovered after the 2015 earthquake. After the significant strike on April 25, 2015, Nepal experienced another powerful aftershock measuring around 7.3 on the Richter Scale on May 12, 2015. This caused considerable destruction across the country. However, people joined together to support each other and overcome the disaster. In these nine years, everyone played an essential part in helping the village to stay on track with the recovery and rebuilding.

Here are some of the initial emergency response and relief efforts:

• Search and rescue operations were conducted to search for the people under the rubble.
• The injured people received medical emergency services at many temporary medical camps.
• Many volunteers and scouts helped distribute supplies like food, shelter, water, medical aids, etc.
• The youths established the Langtang Relief Fund and volunteered to help needy people.

Short Term Relief Efforts

• The debris cleared up within weeks, and the infrastructure was rebuilt.
• The rebuilding of infrastructure and housing started within a few weeks to months of the earthquake.
• Government, private consortiums, NGOs, and INGOs collaborated and assisted in various ways to reconstruct housing, offices, and infrastructures.

Long-Term Reconstruction and Recovery Plans for Langtang Village

• The long-term reconstruction and recovery plans for Langtang Village started with the recovery of the tourism sector. Many new hotels, lodges, and teahouses were established.
• The new training program was given to the people of Langtang Village so they could become skilled workers and earn their earnings.
• One significant impact of the Langtang Village after the earthquake was the impact on the environment, so some environmental programs were used for sustainability and a clean environment.
• Visit Langtang National Park and meet rare and endangered species of plants and animals like Himalayan Thar, snow leopard, red panda, musk deer, black bear, and others.
• Explore one of the best off-beaten paths of Nepal during your Langtang village trek and reach the small and remote Tamang villages.

Highlights of Langtang Trek

• Langtang Village is the hidden gem of the trek that takes you through the small and remote Tamang villages.
• During your Langtang Village trek, you will see majestic peaks like Langtang Lirung, Yala Peak, Dorje Lakpa, Loenpo Gang, and Ganesh Himal.
• Explore some of the majestic monasteries in Kyanjin Ri and Tserko Ri, which lie at an elevation of over 4000m.

Conclusion

Hence, Langtang village and the earthquake have seen drastic changes before and after. Langtang Valley Trek is a popular trekking destination in Nepal. It is easily accessible and suitable for all kinds of trekkers. The area offers beautiful landscapes, snow-capped mountains, and the opportunity to experience the unique local culture.

If you haven’t trekked Langtang Village, we hope our blog has motivated you to trek the region. The village has been completely reconstructed and is among the top trekking destinations in Nepal. There are many trekking spots in Nepal, and even if Langtang Valley is not as famous as other destinations, it is still one of the best spots.  The motivation must increase once the entire village is wiped out and reconstructed, and you might want to check it even more.

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