Marked progress, but more needs to be done

THE fact that Nepal sits on a seismically active zone is no news, as the Eurasian and Indian plates are moving at a relative rate of 20mm per year. Despite the lack of scientific evidence to make an accurate forecast, reports abound of a megaquake in Nepal lurking. However, though small, there has been some progress concerning earthquake preparedness and safety in the country. “Nepal has witnessed a wide proliferation of activities ranging from preparedness to increasing investment and involving a wide range of new partners to work to mitigate and prepare the country to deal with earthquake related risks,” said Amod Mani Dixit, executive director of the Nepal Society of Earthquake Technology (NSET). There is a tremendous pressure on the government to prepare an earthquakeresilient society, he said. According to Dixit, the Ministry of Education’s initiative to retrofit 15 schools and plans to retrofit 50 more in the Kathmandu Valley, and the Ministry of Health and Population’s initiative to conduct an earthquake vulnerability survey in 60 major hospitals across the country are some positive steps taken by the government with support from partner organisations. Patan Hospital has already started work on earthquake- preparedness and retrofitting while the Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital and the Bir Hospital are on line to start such action soon.

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