President says disaster awareness should be created at community level

 Kathmandu, Apr. 24

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has pointed  out to the need to raise awareness at the community level about the disaster preparedness and precautionary measures.

In a message issued by the President on the Earthquake Memorial Day on Sunday, she said that the federal and state governments and the local levels have an important role to play in this endeavour.

Nepal observes the Earthquake Memorial Day on Baisakh 12, in Nepali calendar which falls on Monday, marking the day a powerful quake of 6.9 magnitude hit the country seven years ago on 25 April 2015.

Nepal is one of the most seismically risky countries in the world. President Bhandari maintained that the main reason for the country's seismic risk is geographical location and structure, but also the weak man-made physical infrastructure is equally responsible.

“Therefore, while learning lessons from past experiences, it is very important to build earthquake-resistant physical infrastructure to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes,” she said.

In her message for the Seventh Earthquake Memorial Day, the president expressed heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives in the catastrophic earthquake that struck Barpak in Gorkha district on April 25 seven years ago and the aftershocks that followed.

Nepal has almost completed the reconstruction work of the archaeological and historical heritage, government and public buildings, educational and health institutions, private housing, roads and bridges and other physical structures destroyed by the quake. National Reconstruction Authority was established for the post-quake reconstruction which was active for six years and dissolved after completing the major rebuilding of the damaged structures.

The responsibility of completing the remaining works has also been handed over from the NRA to the concerned agencies.

“On this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the allies, national and international organizations and volunteers who have been assisting in the post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation work, including the NRA,” President Bhandari said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 April 2022.