The Earthquake Safety Day is being observed in Nepal by organising various awareness programmes.

The day is celebrated on 16th January since 1999, marking the day of catastrophic earthquake of 1934.

A major earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale had shaken the country on the day, leaving over 5,000 people dead, some 25,000 injured and around 60,000 houses destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of other houses were partially damaged.

According to experts, such an earthquake might take lives of around 40,000 people in the Kathmandu Valley alone.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala (File Photo)
In his message on the occasion of National Earthquake Safety Day, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said it is the need of the day to mitigate and manage all types of disasters, including the earthquake, on the basis of positive and action-oriented partnership among all the stakeholders of development by creating a suitable and conducive environment through the use of appropriate technology, improvement in legal system and raising social awareness.

Stating that Nepal lies on an earthquake-prone zone, he expressed government’s determination in making the aspects of capacity building and reliable preparedness in ensuring safety from the hazards of earthquake in the form of national strategy.

He also expressed the confidence that positive participation of the entire Nepalese would continue in the government’s efforts to provide holistic humanitarian safety by maintaining cordial and collaborative relations between mankind and nature.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula (File Photo)
Similarly, in his message on the occasion of the Earthquake Safety Day, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that the present government was committed to taking steps for making the disaster management more effective by implementing timely plans, policies and programmes while identifying areas which are in greater risk from earthquake, as Nepal is placed in the 11th position in the ranking of earthquake-prone areas.

The Home Minister also stated that a national strategic plan on disaster management would be prepared within a year.

He added that timely amendments and changes would be made in the Natural Disaster Rescue and Relief Act, 2039 and an Act on Disaster Management with new perspectives would be enacted.