NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES

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C6 Earthquake Disaster Preparedness in Kathmandu
THT282 - CASE C6, Earthquake Disaster
Preparedness in Kathmandu
Crowded urban areas are vulnerable to earthquake
in Kathmandu
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES
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Source JICA Quaterly news letter 2011, Vol 61,
Kathmandu
Photo Ronny Hansen
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www.umb.no
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C6 Earthquake Disaster Preparedness in Kathmandu
As per the earthquake hazard zone mapping,
Kathmandu Valley lies in Zone 5 (nset.org.np).
The Zone 5 covers the areas with the highest
risks to suffer earthquakes of intensity of 6 or
more in Richter scale. Kathmandu valley has been
hit several times by earthquakes, the most
notable ones in terms of the magnitude and
destruction were in 1810, 1823 and 1833, 1834,
1934 and 1997 (source nset.org.np) . The
destruction caused by 1934 earthquake in the
valley is the highest for any recorded earthquake
in the history of Nepal. A total of 126355 houses
were severely damaged and around 80893 buildings
were completely destroyed and 8519 people lost
their lives. Experts say that mega-quake is
imminent in the Valley. The damage will be much
higher now, if Kathmandu valley is hit by
earthquake. The most vulnerable infrastructures
(particularly in urban areas) to earthquake and
floods are power supply, water supply and
sanitation. Kathmandu valley already has serious
environmental problems associated with water and
sanitation. Because of the rapid growth of
population in the valley, the existing water
supply sources (both surface and ground water)
cannot meet the daily demand. The daily water
supply is 30 less than the daily water demand.
The ground water extraction is more than the
recharge. In many places the shallow ground water
reservoir has almost dried. The traditional
wastewater treatment system has been and still is
in many places a septic tank-soak pit system.
Most of the septic tanks has now been removed and
wastewater from the houses is either discharged
into nearby storm sewer or to haphazardly
constructed sanitary sewers. Most of the
wastewater (about 70) is discharged untreated
into the valley river system. The valley river
system is like an open sewer. If an earthquake
hits Kathmandu now the post disaster water and
sanitary condition will be horrible.
Unfortunately the earthquake disaster
preparedness programs launched by GO and NGO are
more focused on earthquake resistance building
infrastructures and teaching survival techniques
during earthquakes. Very little focus is given on
earthquake preparedness from water and sanitation
point of view.  
THT282 - CASE C6, Earthquake Disaster
Preparedness in Kathmandu
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES
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Photo Ronny Hansen
2
www.umb.no
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C6 Earthquake Disaster Preparedness in Kathmandu
Task There are needs to make an extra effort to
improve the present situation of water and
sanitation in Urban and peri-urban Kathmandu from
earthquake disaster preparedness point of view.
Therefore (from water and sanitation
perspective)   1. What earthquake preparedness
activities would you suggest for Kathmandu
valley? 2. Also, the disaster management system
in Nepal is in the process of formulation. What
strategies would you recommend for pre and post
disaster management system? 3. The general
public does not have enough awareness or
knowledge of the importance of preparedness or
mitigation of water and sanitation? What would
you do to increase the awareness of the general
public?
THT282 - CASE C6, Earthquake Disaster
Preparedness in Kathmandu
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES
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Photo Ronny Hansen
2
www.umb.no