2. Highlights of 2015/2016

2. Highlights of 2015/2016
2-1. Disaster and Measures in Nepal
2-1-1. Overview of Nepal Earthquake
and Damage
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8Mw occurred at
Gorkha district at 11:56, 25 April 2015, approximately 77
km northwest of Kathmandu, followed by the largest
aftershock at 12:51, 12 May 2015 with a magnitude of7.3Mw at Sindhupalchowk district, approximately 40km
east-northeast of Kathmandu..
The total number of deaths was 8,891, the number ofFig. 2-1-1. Epicenter of Nepal Earthquake

injuries was 22,302, approximately 600,000 houses weretotally collapsed, and 28 million houses were partially destroyed. Many historic buildings andcultural heritage were also damaged, and the road were disrupted in many places with a lot oflandslides. China, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan were also affected by the earthquakes.
The Nepali government estimated the total economic damage caused by the earthquake
amounted approximately to 10 billion dollars (GDP of Nepal in 2012-2013 was 19.2 billion
dollars).

Also, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimated that the real GDP growth ofNepal in 2014-2015 was revised downward by 0.8 percentage point as a result of the earthquake,and estimated to be 3.8% .

It is expected that the earthquake has caused a serious negative

impact on the economy of Nepal.

2-1-2. Correspondence of the Nepal government
The Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee (CNDRC) met two hours after the earthquake,and four hours after the earthquake, the Council of Ministers held its meeting.
The CNDRC organized by all the relevant ministries and agencies, decided key policies of therelief and rescue, emergency medical services and temporary shelter provision in the affectedareas.
Consolation payment was given to the victims in accordance with the degree of damages andMaterials and equipment for shelter construction were provided.
National Reconstruction Agency (NRA) has been established since December 2015, and thereconstruction promotion system has been strengthened.
In order to facilitate housing reconstruction, donation of 200,000 rupees per one house has also
been started.

2-1-3. Response of the international community
The international rescue teams from 34 countries were dispatched, which saved 16 people and5

provided disaster medical services. In addition, food from 19 countries, relief supplies from 20countries were provided.
Furthermore, International Conference on Nepal reconstruction was held in Kathmandu on 25
June 2015, and many participating international organizations and countries offered donations andemergency grant aid. Nepal government explained that the demand for funds necessary forrecovery and reconstruction would amount approximately to $ 6.7 billion, while donors pledged
their support of approximately $4.4 billion in total.

2-1-4. Current situation of victims
The affected areas are largely mountainous, wheremajority of residents engages in agriculture at the slopes
originally developed by landslides. They had lived inwooden and brick houses without consideration ofseismic resistance. After the disaster, blue sheets orCorrugated Galvanised Iron (CGI) sheets provided, andthe timbers taken out from the rubbles are used formaking the temporary shelters by themselves.
Small water supply system and solar panels have beenFig. 2-1-2. Temporary shelter in Laplak
VDC

made available by the assistance of donors, and reconstruction of earthquake resistant housing has
been started by using the Housing Reconstruction donations from April 2016.

2-1-5. ADRC activities
ADRC conducted the emergency observation bysatellite after Nepal earthquake through the framework ofSentinel Asia.
ADRC also supported to strengthen DRR capacity at
community level through two JICA technical cooperation
projects. The first one is to promote disaster educationand the establishment of early warning system for thevillage facing high risk of landslides in Gorkha andSindhupalchowk district, main affected area by theearthquakes. The other one aims at disaster education forFig. 2-1-3. Nepal Presentation
at ACDR2016

capacity development and knowledge building to prepare for major earthquake in the Kathmandu
Valley in the future.
In addition, at the occasion of the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2016 (ACDR2016),
held in Phuket in February 2016, Nepal participant made a presentation of overview on thedamage of the Nepal earthquake, one year efforts after the Nepal earthquake, and furtherchallenges. Through this opportunity, participants shared lessons learnt from the earthquake andcountermeasures.

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