Presentation on Disaster risk
reduction and management in Nepal
Presented on
Asian disaster reduction center
Visiting researcher program
July –December session 2009
Kobe, Japan

Presented bySagar Mishra
Section officer
Ministry of Home Affairs, Kathmandu
Nepal

National Flag

National Logo

NEPAL MAP

Greetings From The Himalayan Country

The birth place of lord Buddha,Lumbini

Central Administration OfficeGeneral Information of Nepal•••

Nepal is one of the richest countries n the world in terms of bio‐diversity due to its
unique geographical position and altitude variation.
The elevation of the country ranges from 60 m. above sea level to the highest
point on earth Mt. Everest at 8848m.
Nepal; covers on areas of 1,47,181 sq.km. it occupying 0.1% of the total landmassof the earth is home to:
•••••

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2%of all the flowering plants in the world.
8% of the world population of birds (more than 848 species)
11% of the world”s 15 families of butterf;ies (more than 500species)
600 indigenious plant families
319 species of the exotic orchids.

The population :‐ is 25.8 million.
Capital :‐ is Kathmandu and other main cities are Bhaktapur,Lalitpur
Pokhara,Biratnagar, Birganj,Nepalganj,and the birth place of lord Buddha‐ Lumbini.
Location: ‐ situated between China in the north and India in the south, west, east.
People :‐ Nepal has more than 101 Ethnic groups and 92 spoken
Languages,multicultural and multilanguages country.
Languages :‐ Nepali is the national language travel ,trade people understand andspeak English. Contd.‐‐‐‐ Religion :‐ Nepal is a secular state with a predominance of Hindus andBuddhist people.
‐ Currency :‐ Nepali rupees.
‐ Political system :‐ Federal Democratic Republic and administrativelydivided in to 5 regional development region,14 zones and 75 districts,58
municipalities with 3913 village development committees. In broader sense
physiographic ally divided Into three regions‐like Himalayan region, Mid
hill, and Terai.
‐Climate and temperature:‐ Nepal has four major seasons(1)winter: december‐february,(2) spring: march‐may,(3) summer: June‐august, (4) autumn: september‐november. Monsoons are from June till mid
September. Nepal can be visited the whole year round.
‐Literacy rate :‐ 60% approximately of total population.

Major Types of Disasters in Nepal••••••••••

Within top 20 multi hazard prone country
Nepal stands at 11th position to earth quake
vulnerability.
It stands at 30th position in water induced
disaster line flood.
It stands 6th position to climatic change
vulnerability.
1.06%of the natural disaster in a day andglobal hotspots for geographical and climatic
hazards.
Nepal is exposed to several types of disasters
such as:‐(a) landslides (b) earthquake © floods (d)avalanches (e) glacier lake out burst flood(f) fires (g) droughts (h ) epidemic like :‐ bird
flue, swine flue, diarrhea, cholera(i) thunderbolts (j) debris flows (K) hailstorms(L) wind storms (m) structure collapse (n)cold wave (o) hot wave (p) boat capsize(q) lue (r) snow falls••

Emerging disasters in Nepal are as follows :‐(1) wild life attack :‐( elephant, rhino ,tiger ,leopard, beer)(2) Collector of yarchagumba :‐ collection ofyarchagumba (herbs) pickery in highmountains every year many people feared
dead, many stranded and dozens suffered bylossing their eye vision due tackle poverty
they involve high risk works for theirlivelihood (may‐june‐july)

Nepal is a …………..Theatre of Disasters

During 1930‐2008
During 2001‐2007
disasters have killed
disasters have
27,000 people
caused losses worth
Rs. 9900 million

2008: Koshi and
Mahakali killedover 50 people,
displaced over
220,000

2,300 glacierlakes. At least 20of them are inprecariouscondition

Nepal HDI:

138
1993: 2000
landslides andfloods took 1,500
lives, displaced
500,000+ people

Earthquake: Theentire country lies infault zone. Sitting ona time bomb

Climate Change:
Nepal will be a
critical casualty

Source: MoHA, ISDR, UNDP, NDP, ICIMOD

Legal Status•

Natural disaster relief act, 1982 is enacted.

•MoHA is designated as the ‘National Focal Point for DM’.

•Organizational Chart :10System• Three Years Interim Plan, 2007‐2010• Natural Calamity Relief Act, 1982
• Local Self‐government Act, 1999 devolution ofresponsibility and authority for DM at the local level‐
DDC, Municipality& VDC.
• Institution Registration Act, 1977 – very liberal , 7‐11people could establish a NGO/CBO.
• National Action Plan, 1996(Revised)• Disaster Victim Relief Distribution Standard, 2007
• Other Sect oral Policies, Acts, Rules and Regulations.
• In coordination and support of government, since 1996
UNDP, JICA and Nepal Red Cross have initiated thecommunity‐based disaster management (CBDM), First
with in SAARC countries.
• Commitment on WCDR (HFA), 2005 AD

Government institutions, Partners, Procedures The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) is designated as the leadagency responsible for implementation of the Natural Calamity(Relief) Act, 1982.

Currently various other agencies of the Government of Nepal
are assigned with different aspects of DRR.

CNDRC chaired by Home Minister is accountable for preparing
1.

National Policies

2.

National Strategy

Adoption of new act on Disaster Risk Reduction & Management,
ensuring its implementation
 MoHA is also responsible for :1. Operation of the rescue & relief works.
2. Data collection & dissemination
3. Fund raising and distribution
3.

Organization structure of disaster management system inNepal• The Ministry Of Home Affairs (MOHA) is designated as thelead agency responsible for DRRM and as a National FocalPoint.
• MOHA is also responsible for Rescue and Relief Works, Data
Collection and Dissemination as well as collection anddistribution of funds and resources.
• CNDRC : This Committee is accountable for preparing
National Policies and Ensuring its Implementation.
• RDRC :– RDRC is responsible to support and monitor the activities
implemented from the DDRCs.
– RDRC is composed by the representation of the various
Line Agencies related with Law and Order, Emergency
Response and Development Institutions.

Organisation structure in disaster management cont……
• DDRC :– The District Level Committee (DDRC) have been constituted in all
75 Administrative Districts of the Country.
– DDRCs Draw Representatives from the District Level Offices of thevarious Line Agencies related with Law and Order, Emergency
Response (Army, Police, and the District Chapter of Nepal Red
Cross Society), Critical Facilities and Development Institutions suchas Irrigation, Road, Live Stock, Health, etc.
LDRC : Formulation As per requirement.
CBOs, NGO/INGOs
independently .

andCivilSocieties

arealsoinvolved

Personnel involved in disaster management
Central Disaster Relief Committee is chaired by the Honorable Home Minister, two otherministers and more than 30 senior government officials.
Currently, Various agencies of Government of Nepal are assigned with different aspects
of Disaster Risk and Management.
Nepal is divided into five regions
RDRC is chaired by The Regional Administrator.
DDRC is chaired by the Chief District Officer in the District.
The CDO as the Chair Person of the DDRC is empowered to be the highest level
Government Official to take Disaster Related Decisions including Rescue and Distributionof the Relief Materials following a Disaster.
Security and Technical Personnel are also involved from Central to Local level.
Staff of CBO, NGO/INGO and Civil Society are also involved.

Status of implementation of HFA
 Revisit of National Calamity Act on the basis ofchanged global context.

(A comprehensive draft is prepared and at thefinal stage of procedure) Reformation of policy envisaging the disastersafer Nepal.

 Final stage of the formulation of strategic plan

2005‐2015

New initiatives on DRR
 Legal reform :‐drafting of the new legislation covering all segments ofthe disaster management cycle and 5 mantras of the HFA.
 Shift of paradigms and track change in modalities for :‐Preparedness, Rescue, Relief & Recovery.
 A break through :‐Mainstreaming to DRR in Interim Plan (three years plan) Stages of National Platform :‐Principally agreed by cabinet.
Final stage of the bye law.

Why National Strategy ?
 Hyogo framework of Action and Nepal’s firm

commitment to realization.

 Sustainable development movement.
 Disaster Management as cross cutting issue ofdevelopment.

 Disaster Management as transformative agenda.
 Increased political commitment.
 Poverty reduction and proper development.
 State obligation and responsive governance.
 Cross‐borders, regional & international co‐operation.
 Disaster risk reduction as global, regional & sub‐regionalconcern.

National Priorities
 Emergency response planning and capacityenhancement.
 Strengthening policy and legal environment.
 efficient and effective reconstruction andrehabilitation.
 Institutional reform.
 Human resources development in disaster
preparedness.

19Development of National Strategy for Disaster Risk
Management in Nepal
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Based on HFA
Supported by UNDP,JICA Nepal
Financial support from theEuropean commission
HFA is placed as beacon on theprocess of formulation.
Conceptualized to be based on
the ground realities and withneeds of Nepal.
Expected to be a gap analysis of
all the phases of the DM cyclefor Nepal.
A clear cut roadmap (till to 2015)
for the HFA & MDGS
A framework of institutional &legal mechanisms
A guide for future planning to
make Nepal safer.

 An inspiration to the well wishers toNepal.
 Coverage of the relevant cross cutting
issues like: Human Rights & Protection
 Gender & Social inclusion
 Staff safety & security
 Effective governance Intangible outcome (final outcome)Wide engagement and participation ofstakeholders of different sectors in thedevelopment process of strategy withthe feeling of full ownership.
 Enhancement of awareness on HFA andits implication in Nepal for DRM.
 Work Plan
Recently submitted to MoHA.

My Job responsibilities in present position(1)

To assist formulate the national policies regarding disaster risk reduction.

(2) To implementation the policies and programmes.
(3)

To associate with the social organizations in natural disaster related relief works
and coordinate the activities of those organizations.

(4) To coordinate and collect information relief works.
(5) To implement at the field level programmes ,policy, cluster approach related todisaster risk reduction activities.
(6) To Coordinate the district level partners which are involved in disaster reduction
and management activities.
(7) To support the district committee and local committee the matters relating
to rescue relief works.
(8) To dissemination of information regarding pre disaster activities.

My Field of Interest:• To study Flood,Landslides, Earthquake Risk Reduction
Management of Nepal with reference of Japan’sExperience and Practices.
• To Visit Universities , Research Centers, Disaster related
Institutions and places to get information and learn
about Japan’s Experiences and Practices.
• To learn Japanese culture.
• To involvement in ADRC,JICA activities.

Disaster Scenario in Nepal, Koshi flood point

Embankment

SpurRiver Flow

4‐Sep‐08

Koshi Disaster

23

nt
ankme
Le
ft

BreachEmb

Location Map

E/WHighw

ay

12

KM

West Kusaha

4‐Sep‐08

Barrage

Koshi Disaster24

Flood in 2009‐08‐18 (her house swept away by floods)

28

Mountain summit

30Glaciers and Potentially Dangerous Glacier Lakes in NepalSnow falls

Koshi flood and avalanches

oil plantation

Road stops by landslide (2009‐8‐18)

Land erosion

LANDSLIDES/DEBRIS FLOWBio‐Dyke

An example of risk and preparedness• In Banke and Kailali, an innovative approach to arrest bank erosion• Use of green bamboo and sandbags scientifically jammed to createstrong embankments in high erosion zones• Floods of Sept 2008 proved that bio‐dykes were intact, gabion‐stone embankments gave awaypp

MoHA's DRM MantraCollaboration

Outcome=Coordination, Facilitation, Integration and Finally
Mainstreaming!

Conclusion(1) Need to act simultaneously on Disaster,Poverty, Infrastructure and Environment.
(2) On the spirit of Hyogo Framework for action 2005‐2015 Nepal is seriously involved to building theresilience of nation and communities.
(3) As a least developed but a highly disaster prone
country would like to warrant particularattention in view of higher vulnerability and risk
levels which exceeds own capacity to respondand recover for disaster.