On April 25, 2015 an 8.1 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. 8,962 people died, and an estimated 21,952 were injured in the immediate earthquake. Weeks later, on May 12, an aftershock of almost equal magnitude (7.3) killed an additional 153 people and injured more than 3,000.
Both Hindu and Buddhist temples throughout Kathmandu were overwhelmed with burial and cremation services, working around the clock to try and provide proper cremations for the dead.
In the Khumbu Region, near Mount Everest, most people were outside during the midday earthquakes, so few deaths resulted, but entire villages were destroyed. Construction equipment can't make it up the small walking paths, so all demolition and reconstruction had to be done by hand.
The annual festival of Mani Rimdu, usually performed at the Buddhist temple in Thame village, had to be held outdoors for the first time in history due to the amount of damage done to the temple.
