In 1934, a major earthquake struck Nepal. The 8.4-magnitude event (stronger than this past April's 7.8) wreaked havoc throughout the region. The loss of life is estimated to have been between 10,000 and 12,000. Among the differences between the disasters, two stand out. Eighty years ago, the people of Nepal were isolated and news of the event did not reach the wider world very quickly at all; and relief from the outside world took months. Contrast that with the news cycle a few months ago when, within minutes, images of the damage and first-person accounts were flashed around the world, even while the ground was still shaking. In a matter of hours, relief agencies sprang into action.
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