Photographers from Nepal and India are using social media to spread crucial information after a magnitude-7.3 earthquake shook the mountainous country Tuesday — less than three weeks after a previous one killed thousands.
The Nepal Photo Project is capturing both the horrors of natural disaster and inspiring moments of hope on Instagram and Facebook, using the channels to provide a variety of important content to followers — information on where need is the highest, links to fundraising campaigns to help victims and photographs of missing people, for example.
“Our main parameter for what we post is pretty simple — that it should communicate something purposeful or meaningful,” writer Tara Bedi, who helped launch the effort, explained to Time.com.
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People make a line for relief. Crowds gather in Tundikhel again. Photo by @chyantulimyau #NepalEarthquake #Nepal #NepalPhotoProject
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 12, 2015 at 6:46am PDT
“People here in Nepal are shaken after yet another quake. Life had slowly started coming back to normal and nowseems like we are back to square one again. But the disaster response from both the government and the public has been balanced and calculated this time around. There is electricity and internet(thankfully), however people are opting to stay outdoors. Seen in the picture is a person carrying sleeping mats, blankets and other essentials to the makeshift tent for the night.” Photo by @aerawbic #nepal #nepalphotoproject #nepalearthquake #Kathmandu #silhouette #disaster #streets #night #fear
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 12, 2015 at 11:02am PDT
Docs treating a young patient for minor injuries outside the #Everest hospital in New Baneshwor, #kathmandu #nepal. Photo by @shikharbhattarai #nepalphotoproject #nepalearthquake
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 12, 2015 at 2:31am PDT
Team headed out to Gongabu. Photo by @ntgk #nepalphotoproject #nepalearthquake #nepal #rescue
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 12, 2015 at 2:53am PDT
Bedi started the project — which has garnered more than 31,000 followers on Instagram since its inception on April 25 — alongside photographer Sumit Dayal.
Social media users are encouraged to contribute images to the project by using the #NepalPhotoProject hashtag. Bedi told TakePart, however, that it’s “extremely important” all shared information from the account is accurate — all contributing photographers who aren’t already known through her network are vetted to ensure credibility.
Dayal explained to Time.com that utilizing imagery to report what’s happening — as opposed to just sensationalizing the devastation — was an important aspect to the project.
“It is becoming evident that people tend to consume news and information through images,” Dayal said. “Nepal Photo Project is our way of attempting to make sure that the visuals become more functional and personal in nature, as opposed to just devastation porn.”
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Pictures of missing people posted on a wall as they were admitted in a #hospital so that its easier for the relatives to trace them after the 7.9 magnitude earthquake devastated #Nepal, that was once a tourist paradise. Photo by @choudharyravi #nepalearthquake #nepalphotoproject
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 9, 2015 at 10:03am PDT
“Laughter is the best medicine” is a phrase, that from what best I can tell, comes from pages of the Bible. The beauty of laughter however is that it overpowers religion, language and class. The Dream Doctors – a group of red-nosed wearing Israeli clowns founded in 2001 – have been travelling around the Kathmandu valley – from field hospitals, to orphanages and to tented camps – cheering up children (and adults!) since the devastating earthquake here that has shattered the country and its people. Balloons of every shape and form, ridiculous skits, goofy shoes and lots and lots of laughter…. Rattling your ribcage laughter. They’re helping heal the wounds you can’t see. Photo by @samreinders #nepal #nepalearthquake #nepalphotoproject #kathmandu #journal #inspiration #laughter #laughteristhebestmedicine #funny
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 12, 2015 at 12:26am PDT
Gearing up! We have decided to team up and lend a helping hand. Anyone interested please get in touch. Photo by @saagarchhetri #nepalphotoproject #nepalearthquake #nepalquake #nepal #rescue
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on Apr 27, 2015 at 6:28am PDT
Queues of ladies wait for the Nepalese army to hand out water and packs of two-minute noodles. This is taken in Ratna Park – pretty much slap bang in the middle of Kathmandu, where families who’ve lost their homes have set up camp in tents (often a few families to one tent) supplied by China and the Nepalese government. When I was here in January this year there were also tents set up in Ratna Park – circus tents… People queued for amusement rides, not food. Photo by @samreinders #nepal #nepalphotoproject #journal #nepalearthquake #food #shelter
A photo posted by NepalPhotoProject (@nepalphotoproject) on May 6, 2015 at 6:55am PDT
Nepal was still recovering from its worst earthquake in more than 80 years — the death toll from the April 25 disaster has now hit 8,159, The New York Times reported — when Tuesday’s struck.
The most recent earthquake has reportedly killed 42 people and injured 1,117, according to Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center.
Death tolls from the disasters are expected to rise.
The button below indicates how much has been raised on Crowdrise’s “Nepal Earthquake Relief” page. Click to visit the site and donate.
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Fundraising Websites – Crowdrise
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