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It could have been her, says city woman who survived Nepal disaster

A Red Deer woman caught in Nepal’s devastating earthquake has provided a frightening eye-witness glimpse of the disaster.

A Red Deer woman caught in Nepal’s devastating earthquake has provided a frightening eye-witness glimpse of the disaster.

Beverly Williams was able to get to a computer on Tuesday to give partner Michael Dawe a brief recount of her ordeal, and that shared by thousands of others in the ravaged country.

“Only have a computer for a little while. I cannot stop crying,” wrote Williams, who had been hiking in the Himalayas when the 7.8 Richter Scale quake hit on Saturday, killing more than 5,000 and injuring 10,000 more. An estimated 1.3 million people require food aid.

Williams writes that she is now away from the mountains and Kathmandu, but was in a bus near Langtang, north of the capital, when the earthquake happened about noon local time. Langtang is a name is shared by a town and the nearby national park, which is popular with hikers and tourists.

It was also, tragically, close to the epicentre of the earthquake.

Online news reports say that the Town of Langtang was engulfed by an avalanche triggered by the earthquake, with more than 100 residents dead and the roadway is partially blocked.

“Was in a bus near Langtang when … the quake came. Very scary,” wrote Williams. “Had to walk for so many crazy miles because the roads were blocked. Listening for landslides while we walked.”

A bus a number of kilometres ahead of hers was struck by a falling boulder and three people were killed.

“I do realize that that could have been me.”

Williams, 60, pays tribute to the group’s Nepalese guides.

“When you talk about Nepal guides, I now understand how they care physically and emotionally for you.

“He put me first. He found out that his home was destroyed but I was always his first concern. Strong wonderful gentlemen.

“I hope we all can help get him a house.

“Tons more to tell you but I am still (shook) up and cannot stop crying.”

Williams then signs off by sending her love and thanks to all worrying about her.

The Red Deer woman was in Nepal on a buying trip for her business Woolen Wonders, a mainstay at Red Deer’s Public Market and in malls during the Christmas season.

She had joined about 10 others on a week-long hiking trip in Langtang National Park when the earthquake hit.

Concerned friends, family and well-wishers have been deluging Dawe’s and Williams’s Facebook accounts with messages of love, support and relief that she is safe.

Dawe said on Tuesday they have already begun the complicated job of finding a way of getting Williams out of Nepal and back to Canada, possibly through India.

pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com