Nepal settlements rise after quake

Payments to Nepal from Qatar have risen after the Himalayan nation was hit by a devastating earthquake just last week. Limited income workers are sending whatever they have in a bid to help their loved ones. After the shocking 7.8-magnitude earthquake on April 25, Nepal is facing humanitarian crisis. The death toll has reached 6,600 so far while the destiny of thousands of individuals in remote areas remains unknown. Thousands of Nepalese are required to spend nights in the open after their houses collapsed due to tremors.

Remittances to Nepal surge after quake

BY SACHIN KUMAR

DOHA: Remittances to Nepal from Qatar have surged after the Himalayan nation was hit by massive earthquake last week.

The limited income workers are sending whatever they have in a bid to help their families. While many are yet to receive salaries, the workers are sending amounts as meagre as QR80 or QR100 to ensure that their families get money in the nick of time.

“Our average transaction on the last Friday of a month is around 2,200 but last Friday we witnessed 4,700 remittance transactions to Nepal.

“Our monthly average transaction in Qatar is around 45,000 but we saw around 61,000 transactions in April and maximum chunk of these transactions were seen the last week of April,” said Shan Kamarudheen, Business Development Manager of City Express Money Transfer.

City Express Money is a money transfer service company in Qatar which specialises in remittances from Qatar to Nepal. In Qatar, many exchange houses including Islamic Exchange, City Exchange, Al Dar Exchange, Doha Exchange, Al Sadd Exchange, Al Mirqab Exchange, Gulf Exchange and Al Mana Exchange are using its services.

“We saw workers sending even small amounts such as QR80 or QR100 to their family members. They want to send whatever money they have with them that too immediately,” said Kamarudheen. “Usually Nepalese people in Qatar remit money in the second week of the month and the last week (of a month) is usually dull. But earthquake changed this trend,” he added.

After the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on April 25, Nepal is facing humanitarian crisis. The death toll has crossed 6,600 so far while the fate of thousands of people in remote areas remains unknown.

Thousands of Nepalese are forced to spend nights in the open after their houses collapsed due to tremors.

“I have not got my salary until now but I have managed to arrange some money by borrowing from my friends. Whatever little I could borrow I sent back to my family,” said Jairaj, who works as a helper in a retail store. His brother was injured in the earthquake and his family lost a house which collapsed due to strong tremors.

Lending a helping hand to grief stricken Nepalese, exchange houses in Qatar have announced to waive the fee they charge for remitting money to Nepal. City Express Money was the first one to do so and has extended this facility until May 7. Al Zaman Exchange too has announced that it is not charging fee for remitting money to Nepal. At present, exchange house charge QR15 to QR25 for remitting money to different countries.

“The remittances to Nepal will increase further as Nepalese workers get their salaries at the end of first week or in the beginning of second week,” said said Zuber Abdul Rahman, Operations Manager, Al Zaman Exchange.

The Peninsula