Rattled by the huge loss of lives and extensive damage to property caused by Saturday's earthquake in Nepal, the Nepalese expatriates in the Kingdom are thronging the embassy with enquiries and requests to visit their country.

The quake and aftershocks continuing on Sunday have also left expatriates from north India, especially Bihar, shocked.

Harishchandra Ghimire, deputy head of mission at the Nepalese Embassy in Riyadh, told Arab News that although it was weekly-off yesterday, the staff was busy helping people and receiving hundreds of calls from throughout the Kingdom from Nepalese workers.

“The embassy is fully cooperating with the workers, mainly those from the worst affected districts of Nepal, to help them go back home in this hour of grief,” he said. “Many of them have lost their family members in the natural disaster while properties and houses of several others were completely destroyed,” he said.

“We have shortlisted dozens of such worst-affected laborers and approached their companies to get exit and re-entry on their visas,” Ghimire said, adding that they are also approaching the Saudi government to help distressed workers.

One such Nepalese worker, Kailash, who works for Saudi Manpower Services (SMASCO), has lost his sister in the quake, which killed thousands of people in Nepal and left a million homeless. He also lost his home while rest of his family members are untraceable.

Kailash, a native from Duhala near Katmandu, which is the worst-affected area, said that he tried to contact his family members, but in vain. Some of relatives have no idea about them, he said.“One of my friends in Nepal confirmed the death of my sister on Facebook,” said a visibly distraught Kailash.

“I am on a two-year contract and have completed only nine months. Hence, I have approached the embassy to help me out,” he said.

Indian expatriates from Bihar, the worst-hit Indian state, and Uttar Pradesh were deeply concerned about their relatives and houses. They are tense as their family members have been spending the nights out in the open or in tents in view of the 24-hour alert sounded by the government.

Dilshad Ali Khan, a senior teacher at Indian school, Riyadh, said, “This is the worst quake people have seen in 100 years as tremors continued at regular intervals, forcing families to spent the nights out of their homes as they feared aftershocks in view the 48-hour alert issued by the local administration.” “Moreover, the wall of my house has developed a crack, which is disturbing,” added Khan.

Abdul Qadir Khan from Bihar, said, “After years of service, I constructed a new house and I was happy. However, I am disheartened after learning that a crack has appeared in a wall of my home following the quake which claimed 42 lives in the state left hundreds injured, mostly in Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Champaran, Sheohar and Madhubani districts.”