NEPALI.

Natural hazards in Nepal

1.1 Natural hazards likely to affect the country
Drought, earthquake, epidemic, extreme temperature, floods, slides, wildfires, wind storms, cold wave, and wind storms.
1.2 Recent major disasters
year
2004
2005

dis_subset
Flash Flood
Flood

no_killed total_affected total_dam(US’000s)―
185800015――
0

Source: "EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Databasewww.em-dat.net - Université Catholique de Louvain - Brussels Belgium"
II.

Disaster Management system

2.1 Administrative system

Conventional long form:
Conventional short form:
Government type:
Capital:Administrative divisions:

Kingdom of Nepal

Nepalparliamentary democracy and constitutionalmonarchy
Kathmandu
14 zones: Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri,
Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini,
Mahakali,
Mechi,Narayani,
Rapti,
Sagarmatha, Seti

2.2 Legal system, legal framework
In the context of Nepal, before the advent of Natural Disaster Relief Act(NDRA), 1982 there was no well structured disaster policy. Prior to 1982
relief and rescue work was carried out either on the basis of power baseor as the social work. Thus, realizing the need the Natural Disaster relief
Act, 1982 was formulated which has already been amended twice in 1989
and 1992. The act is the milestone of disaster management in Nepal.
Natural Calamity (Relief) Act, 1982 being enacted earlier has focusedbasically on the relief/response activities. At present it requires further
reforms to cover comprehensive disaster risk management, concerning
preparedness and mitigation in particular.
The Ministry has already started the process to develop nationalSources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepalstrategies on disaster management, which will be followed by thereviewing of the prevailing legal framework concerning pre and postdisaster risk reduction and management.
2.3 Structure of disaster management
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is the key agency in theinstitutional structure for disaster management. MoHA is the only
agency that has the mandate for carrying out rescue and reliefoperations. The Central Disaster Management Committee and district
and local committees are under the Ministry.
Other agencies involved include the Ministry of Forest and SoilConservation, which is engaged in stabilizing natural and man-madelandslides by afforestation and construction of check dams and otherlow-cost structures. The Ministry of Water Resources, through the Water
Induced Disaster Prevention Training Center, aims to strengthen thegovernment's capacity to cope with water induced disaster throughtraining and technological development.
Agencies such as the Department of Irrigation, Mines and Geology, andDepartment of Roads have linkages with disaster management. The
Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) in co-operation with the government
handles relief distribution for the government. It maintains warehousesof disaster relief materials in all districts. This is the primary agency for
responding to any kind of disaster. Only in areas where NRCS is unable
to operate does the government takes over responsibility for relief
distribution.
2.4 Priority on disaster risk management• Emergency response planning and capacity enhancement,• Strengthening policy and legal environment• Efficient and effective reconstruction and rehabilitation.
• Institutional reform• Human resources development in disaster preparedness
III.

Disaster management plan

The tenth plan of the country made it compulsory to include
environmental impact and natural disaster appraisal study forinfrastructure projects.

Sources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepal

Synopsis of the provisions on Disaster Management in the Tenth Plan
(2002-2007)
Objectives• To make development and construction works sustainable, reliableand effective• To keep life of the common people secured.
Strategies• Adopting suitable technology to minimize environment effects andlosses due to disaster.
• Making rescue and relief reliable and effective• Carrying out effective public awareness activities.
• Strengthening Earthquake measurement stations.
• Preparing hazard maps of vulnerable areas.
• Designating MoHA as the focal point of disaster activities.
Programme• Develop integrated information system in coordination withnational and international agencies.
• Develop reliable database.
• Prepare institutional inventory• Operate five regional warehouses with sufficient stockpile of reliefmaterials.
• Develop national fire code.
• Prepare landslide inventory based on hazard maps and create
epicentre map.
• Provide immediate information to common people of any mode ofdisasters.
• Adopt disaster preventive system.
• Offer instant counselling and rehabilitation to the victims.
Working Policy• Assessments of environmental and disaster impacts• Enhance people's participation in watershed management andriver control• Timely reform legal and institutional frameworks.
• Effective implementation of regional programmes.
• Harness participation of stakeholders in all areas of disaster
reduction.
• Increase public awareness
Expected Achievements• Cordial relations will be established among national andinternational partners.
• Effective sharing of disaster information and experiences.
Sources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepal

• Reduction of damages• Hazard maps will help identify vulnerability thereby contributing
to lessen the loss of lives and property.
• Strengthened rehabilitation works and immediate availability of reliefmaterials to the victims.
IV.

Budget size on national level

In the national budget, the government has not allocated separate
budget line for disaster risk reduction. There are some mechanisms torespond post disaster scenario such as the provision of the Central
Disaster Relief Fund and Prime Minister Relief Fund, which are used onrelief, reconstruction and rehabilitation activities. Likewise, several nongovernmental organizations are contributing significantly in the field of
disaster risk reduction efforts through the direct implementation ofactivities and/or working/ supporting government initiatives.
Government has approved recently to create an Emergency Fund to deal
with the earthquake risk reduction and emergency response. Moreover,
Government has also allocated Rs.1 million as the initial commitment tooperationalize the fund. Contributions through the governmental /nongovernmental and external development partners have been expected forthis fund.
V.

Progress and situations of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)

After participating the WCDR II Nepal has given serious attention
towards the implementation of the Hyogo Framework. The following
activities are initiated in the field of disaster risk reduction andmitigation:• Preliminary works in establishing the National Council for
Disaster Management.
• Prepare a strategic plan to implement the national Action Planproperly.
• Review on existing laws.
• Efforts to raise the level of public awareness.
• promote co-ordination among different stakeholders• Establishment of a Satellite Center for an EarthquakeTechnology proposed at the SAARC level.

Sources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepal

VI.

Projects on disaster reduction headed by your Ministry

Community-Based Disaster Management Project (CBDMP)
Unit:
Environment, Energy and Disaster Reduction
Project:
Community-Based Disaster Management Programme (CBDMP)(NEP/05/01)
Project period:
September 2005 to August 2007 (Financial closure 31st December 2007)
Project Cost (Total):
TRAC 1.1: US$ 550,000/Project coverage:
12 VDCs and 6 Municipality in 6 districts of Nepal. 2 CDMGs per VDC
and 3 CDMGs per municipality will be identified. Total beneficiaries:
12,000 families (approximately)
Execution strategy:
DEX implementation through Community-Based Disaster ManagementGroups (CBDMG) at the community level and national NGOs
Overall Objective:
To enhance the security of women and men vulnerable to natural
disasters and protect common property and community resources inselect disaster prone districts by appropriate capacity building measuresat community, district and central levels and supporting and replicating
community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives that preferablyenhance livelihood opportunities.
Outputs:a. Capacities of identified key stakeholders from the community, district
and central levels built on Disaster Management issues
b. Hazard vulnerability of the communities living in the project wards
reduced through community based disaster risk mitigation measures
Results:a. Community Based Disaster Management Groups (CDMGs) formed
and trained in issues of disaster management like hazard &vulnerability analysis and execution of disaster risk mitigation works
b. Successful implementation of disaster management action plans
initiated in 5 of the project districts,Sources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepal

c. Management Information System (MIS) on disasters activated in all
the 6 project districts,
d. A National disaster management strategy developed for Nepal,
e. A study conducted on the institutionalization of the disaster risk
reduction approaches in the country and on the profile and mandateof an apex body responsible for these and related analytical issues;
f. Nepal has a representation in international forums on disastermanagement increased.
g. CDMGs reduce their geo-physical vulnerability by designing andexecuting at least one risk mitigation work in their respective wards
that is preferably livelihood enhancing
h. Disaster / conflict affected Dalit, Disadvantaged Group (DAG),
women-headed, displaced and/or poor households have increased
their livelihood status, thus reducing their overall economic
vulnerability to disasters.
i. Documentation and publication of materials related to thesector and the project Project Steering Committee
ii. Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA)
iii. Ministry of Local Development (MoLD)
iv. Ministry of Finance (MoF)
v. Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention(DWIDP)
vi. Nepal Red Cross Societyvii. An academic expert on disasters
viii. UNDP (Deputy Resident Representative, Programmes as
the chairperson of the committee)
VII.

ADRC Counterpart
Ministry of Home Affairs
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu

Sources: WCDR Report, ADRC country report, Duryog Nivaran, UN country report,
DPNET Nepal