For Nepalese people around the country, including those in Wairarapa, seeing the devastation of Saturday's magnitude 7.8 earthquake has been difficult to bear.
The quake is now estimated to have claimed more than 5000 lives and injured more than 10,000 people.
Carterton civil engineer Kabi Chapagain comes from the town of Pepsicola, in the Kathmandu Valley, in Nepal and moved to Carterton in February, after completing her studies in Sydney.
Miss Chapagain said she was surprised when her boyfriend's family, who also live in Nepal, phoned immediately after the quake to let them know everyone was okay.
"We had no idea what was happening ... we were able to talk to them but five minutes after that the phone went down."
Since then she has had sporadic contact with her own family and friends, often relying on social media to pass on messages. While her family was unharmed, two of her cousins lost their homes in the quake.
Her family was struggling to cope with the aftershocks.
"They are terrified because of the aftershocks. They are actually so terrified - I can't even imagine what other people, who will have lost their families members, are feeling ... I'm not sure how they would feel but I know it's very difficult."
It took a while for her to comprehend the severity of the quake, she said.
"We were not very scared the first time but after we saw the videos and photos we kept looking at them and the footage was so terrible. When we saw the photos of people being buried under the rubble - it's terrible - and being here we are not able to do anything."
The country, which has many brick houses, was ill-equipped to cope with such a disaster.
"Because we are a small, poor country we don't have disaster management. We don't have plans - it's out of the box for us."
"These people spend their whole live's income just to build a house, so it will take years for them to start living their lives as normal."
Despite her initial impulse to rush home to be with family she has, instead, decided to make a donation to the Red Cross and help its fundraising efforts in New Zealand.
"If I go out [to Nepal] I can help 10 people but if I send money maybe I can help 80 people."
"I would rather be there with them than be here, but we can't have everything, I guess."
She has set up donation boxes at the Carterton council office and the Events Centre.
-Donate online at www.redcross.org.nz/donate/nepal-earthquake-appeal/