Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.

‘Pray for Nepal’: sombre Saskatoon vigil held at River Landing

May 4, 2015 | 7:53 AM

It was a sombre mood at Saskatoon’s River Landing Sunday evening.

About 100 people were on hand for a candlelight vigil, meant to mourn the ever-rising number of dead and injured from the April 25 earthquake in Nepal.

While adults held up a plastic sheet to protect from the wind, children lit dozens of candles to illuminate a simple message: pray for Nepal.

Saskatoon’s Nepalese community is roughly 400 members strong, according to community president Jiblal Khanal. His organization has been fundraising constantly since the disaster hit, and every dollar will be matched by the federal government until May 25.

“All Nepalese people need help,” he said. “This is my request … help in any way.”

Khanal added that the response to the tragedy so far, be it from non-Nepalese people or governments on every level, has been very positive.

Just as the crowd gathered Sunday, the official death toll from the quake had risen to almost 7,300. Though aid is flowing in from all corners of the world, runway damage has forced Nepalese authorities to close the main airport to large aircraft.

– with files from the Canadian Press

panews@jpbg.ca

Follow on Twitter: @kdnewsguy