Nepalese in Saskatchewan rocked by news of deadly quake

Rajesh Karkifirstheard of the devastating, deadly earthquake back home in Nepal when he woke up in Saskatoon on Saturday morning. He got a call from his brother in Denver, Colorado.

"He was able to talk to my mom in Nepal ... I came to know that this was a really huge disaster," Karki said. "Especially in Kathmandu city, the capital city of Nepal."

The University of Saskatchewan professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering has lived in Saskatoon for years, but his parents, relatives and friends call Kathmanduhome.

• Nepal earthquake death reaches nearly 1,200

"I checked my Facebook, I tried to go on the internet," Karki said of his efforts to find out if loved ones were safe.

Thepowerful 7.9 earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday, killing at least 1,180 people acrossfour countries. Its forceviolentlycollapsed houses, leveledtemples and triggered avalanches on Mount Everest.

"A lot of people got buried in the houses," Karki explained."Fortunately, my parents are fine."

Karki said others from Saskatchewan's Nepalese community have not been able to locate their loved ones yet. He fears more destruction is on the way, too.

"They are all outside the house in a little open area,people are scaredto go back in the houses," he said. "It is fully expectedwithin the next 48 hours there could be more tremors ...it is pretty scary."

Karki said he is working with other members of the local Nepalese community to find out if there are families who have lost loved ones.

"Some of them have not been able to contact relatives yet. It is avery scary situation," Karki said."Many people knew about this last night when it started, most of them haven't slept all night."

Karkiexplained he is fearful for Nepal's future now, as aid has been slow and so much has been lost.

"All the historical things are almost going to be wiped out," he said. "It is going to impact their lives forever."