Seven days after the Nepal earthquake, a look at the country's recovery from the disaster

Saturday marks a week since a savage earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale with its epicentre in Nepal’s Gorkha district, hit the north of the Indian continental shelf. Nepal has seen 37 aftershocks measuring more than 4.5 on the Richter scale following the first earthquake. The official death toll in the country now stands at over 6000, and estimates of the number of people affected run as high as 8 million. The Red Cross, after assessing areas close to the epicentre, has reported “almost total devastation.” Even as international governments and agencies continue to mobilise support, aid has been slow in reaching many of those with the most acute need, particularly outside the Kathmandu Valley. Following frantic organising on social media, several impromptu citizens’ groups have started soliciting and distributing assistance themselves. There is growing anger against the Nepali government, which many accuse of failing to provide or coordinate aid. This sentiment has also grown due to a recent official circular ordering Nepali banks to redirect all incoming relief money into an official fund set up by the prime minister, which activists fear is not transparent, and could hobble de-centralised relief. Meanwhile, as these images from Vivek Singh show, rescue and clean-up work in Kathmandu continues.