First Quake Survivors Watch As Homes Destroyed

Survivors of the powerful earthquake to hit Nepal last month have described watching their homes turn to rubble as the latest quake caused further destruction.

One man, Ashok Parajuli, sat with his family on a roadside in Sangachowk as his house slid down a hill.

He had taken out a £19,000 loan on the property – and cannot afford to rebuild.

"We watched it go down slowly, slowly," he said. "The bank we took the loan from was damaged too, but not as badly as our house."

At least 37 people have been killed in Nepal since the 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck at lunchtime on Tuesday.

This follows a 7.8-magnitude quake on 25 April, which destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings – and flattened entire villages.

Many residents were left too scared to sleep in the buildings which managed to withstand the tremors.

Their confidence had begun to return in recent days, and was diminished following the latest earthquake.

Ram Hari Shah and his family were among those who had decided to go back home.

Now, he is setting up an orange tarpaulin outside once again, in fear of further aftershocks.

He said: "Everyone was saying the earthquakes were over … now I don't want to believe anyone.

"We are all scared, we are terrified. I would rather deal with mosquitoes and rain than sleep in the house."

A shopkeeper added: "No one should stay in tonight."

According to the UN, the number of dead from Tuesday's earthquake is expected to rise further as many people are trapped under rubble – with some of these buildings likely weakened by the first powerful earthquake, which struck closer to the surface.

One police officer in Charikot said: "We have pulled six people alive out of the ruins of fallen houses. Many buildings have collapsed – even concrete buildings."

Nepal's hospitals, already overcrowded with those injured in the last earthquake, had no choice but to move their patients to open ground, in anticipation of aftershocks.

Even though open areas may seem like the safest places for those displaced, Nepal is now entering the monsoon season.

Thomas Bell, a journalist and author who lives in Nepal, told Sky News: "It's a huge problem. Exactly when the monsoon season will arrive, we don't know – maybe about a month, it varies every year.

"This brings torrential rain and the risk of further landslides. People obviously need proper shelter and proper sanitation."

The UN has only raised 13% of the £270m needed to help Nepal recover from the April earthquake – and aid workers have warned that even more funding will now be required in light of the latest tragedy.

One frustrated relief worker said: "Why are (displaced people) sleeping on our office floor? Where are our tents? Where are our tarpaulins? Where are our hygiene kits? They need to be paid for."

:: Nepal Earthquakes: Donations can be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal by texting 'SKY' to 70000 to give £5.