News

Actions

Calvin prof and family safe in Nepal after earthquake

Posted at 5:14 PM, Apr 27, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-27 17:14:06-04

A Calvin College chemistry professor and his family are safe after surviving the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal.

Herb Fynewever, his wife and three children, were in the capital city of Kathmandu when the quake hit. The family took shelter in a nearby school gymnasium, worried that their apartment was unsafe after the earthquake.

The disaster killed more than 4,000 people, and left thousands homeless.

Fynewever, a 1994 graduate of Calvin, has been in Nepal since January, and is teaching at Kathmandu University on a scholarship.

The earthquake was the worst to hit Nepal in more than 80 years, and could be felt throughout parts of surrounding countries.  It also triggered a large avalanche on Mount Everest, sweeping through portions of base camp there, and killing at least 19.