Pharmacy Students Survive Nepal Earthquake

Two University of Montana Skaggs School of Pharmacy students were in Bhaktapur, Nepal, when the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit.

Drew Clavelot, 25, and Taryn Moore, 24, were standing near a building that collapsed, but they survived the incident unscathed, The Montana Standard reported.

As of April 27, 2015, the death toll from the earthquake has totaled more than 3800, according to The New York Times. The newspaper reported Bhaktapur had seen “significant destruction.”

Clavelot and Moore were in Nepal visiting a friend who worked for the Peace Corps. Clavelot told his mother, Sheila Messer, they were lucky they were in a square—an open area—instead of a building at the time of the earthquake.

“Hey Mom, we went to Bhaktapur to see old Nepal. There was a large earthquake, but we are safe. Quite the experience,” Clavelot texted his mother, Sheila Messer, according to The Montana Standard. “I love you, Mom. I will text you when I can.”

The 3 friends managed to reach an area of Kathmandu less devastated than Bhaktapur, and they are now staying at the US Embassy. Other Americans have joined them at the embassy to seek refuge and to use computers to stay in touch with loved ones.

Clavelot and Moore were planning on flying back to the United States on May 4, 2015, in order to attend graduation from pharmacy school, but the students do not know when commercial air travel will resume, The Montana Standard reported.

Graduation is scheduled for May 16, 2015, according to the University of Montana Skaggs School of Pharmacy’s website.