Mission Barpak, My Expectation and Realization
They have already commenced to construct their structure again with the same techniques, so that must be improvised promptly by providing technical assistance to them.
Earthquake does not kill people — it’s their structure which kills them. That was the statement that stuck with me some years back, during a discussion about a possible earthquake in Kathmandu. Working in major cities I had seen many houses with good foundations and solid structure, and I was even in a dilemma about that statement, as many questions had bound me from fully accepting it. I became clear about it when I visited Barpak, the beautiful place where the epicenter of the Gorkha Earthquake was located, which washed away many lives and assets.
With around 7 hours of vehicle travel and around 5 hours of uphill hectic climbing, my heart was beating with different expectations and assumptions. There were bombardments of thoughts — that there might have been an immense impact, that there might not be a single house that could resist an earthquake, and many more. It was already around 7 pm by the time we reached the place, as we had started climbing the uphill trail around 1:30 pm. It was my first experience where I struggled in this way to reach any place, and equally, my excitement was enormous, as I wanted to see the place with my own eyes. When we reached our destination, it was already covered by darkness and we were welcomed by heavy rainfall, so I had no option but to wait until tomorrow to see the panoramic view of Barpak.
With a tired body and wet clothes, I couldn’t feel my own legs from the aching. My excitement was so great that I woke up early the next morning, and there I saw a beautiful panoramic view of splendid Barpak — I was surrounded by mountains and could see the Buddha Himal right in front of me, which was really fascinating. I could see a big village with many temporary houses and even some RCC structures. My earlier assumptions were wrong — it really was a beautiful place to be.
With my team members, we went to find the real picture of the place. As I was travelling, I was really moved by the humble nature of the villagers — I could feel their expectation in their eyes when my crew introduced me as a civil engineer, and they had so many questions. It was a very good moment for me, as I could feel my own usefulness there. I felt why I hadn’t come to this place sooner, since it needed help long before.
I started investigating the technical aspects of their construction, and I was amazed by the techniques they used — techniques I had never thought of in construction practice. It was a completely non-engineered practice, and it was quite obvious why such destruction had occurred. They had load-bearing structures with walls constructed from stones, without using any bonding material between them — literally piling stones one after another. The next storey was typically built with wood frames, and roofs were made by arranging flat stones for temperature resistance. It was beyond my imagination, and there was no wonder such destruction occurred. Moving from place to place, I could feel the tragic moments they had encountered. It was obvious that most stone structures had partially or completely collapsed. I also checked the ground profile and found that the bedrock is made of hard strata rock.
Moving on and observing the beautiful village along with its tragic stories, I could feel the glimpse of opportunity that people wanted to explore. They were asking us: when will government address our problems, what will our new houses look like, could an earthquake come back, and many more questions. I had heard that many organizations and experts had visited Barpak and planned for the village accordingly, but these things left a doubtful impression in my heart when I was actually with Barpak’s people. We saw many people who had already commenced rebuilding their houses. They had excitement for this, but I was concerned that they were using the same old techniques for which they had already paid such a big price.
I asked them why they were approaching it with the same techniques, when there are many ways to improve this style of construction. Many workers told me they had not been made aware by any experts, to date, about ways of improving it. They were very excited to learn new techniques, and I could feel their eyes looking to me for some good tips. It was also very difficult for me to reach every single place to explain the techniques, so we arranged a small interaction programme where I could share ideas for earthquake-resistant construction and address their questions. I also felt the need for workshops and training for local masons promptly, and for research to be carried out for the village’s upcoming planning. We observed many RCC buildings as well, some partially damaged and a limited number with major damage. I could sense that RCC structures could be the best alternative for the place, where we could shift the architectural style of the previous houses. Considering local materials, economy, manpower and public interest in reconstruction, we could also work out the same stone-house style but with improved structural detailing for earthquake-resistant construction.
They have already commenced constructing their structures again with the same techniques, so this must be improvised promptly by providing technical assistance to them. The immediate needs for the place, as we felt them, are: a proper roadway to the village, which has added a tremendous challenge in bringing materials to Barpak, as the roads are filled with landslide deposits in many places; the electricity problem; drinking-water scarcity; health problems; and many more. Finally, after a 4-day stay, our team returned with all the information we needed. I was very happy to have been there, as I could at least help them as far as I could and learn many things from them. Their humble nature and quiet expectations dug a big place in my heart. I finally returned with the determination to help them in every possible way. We had a vision to help their reconstruction process, focusing on Barpak and Laprak for the moment.