Vulnerability Capacity Assessment and Disaster Risk Management

Nepal faces multiple recurrent hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and floods. These have resulted in a large amount of loss and damages. The 2015 Gorkha earthquake took the lives of 9,000 people, injured more than 22,000, and destroyed infrastructures. More than 100 people die every year from floods and landslides. Fire, lightning, and GLOFs are other hazards affecting the country each year. The earthquake severely affected Kathmandu Valley’s urban areas that also face risks of pollution, floods, and accidents. Limited access to essential services such as water supply, drainage, road, and hospitals, further exacerbates the risks.

Thus a robust DRR/M system whose primary task should be to build resilient communities to reduce risks, loss, and damages is required. A Community can be resilient only when it can deal with adverse situations. Adequate human, social, physical, natural capital, knowledge, skills, and economic supports is vital. As a part of capacity enhancement activity, ISET-Nepal organized interaction programs with women’s groups in each Safer Cities Project Wards. Similarly, elected representatives from Kathmandu and Lalitpur Metropolitan city received training on mainstreaming DRR in the local plans. Diverse community groups such as the civil society group, slum, youths, and journalists received orientation and training on DRR/M.

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