Saying that a devastating earthquake might hit Nepal anytime, experts have called for greater awareness on earthquake to minimize the risk .

Speaking at a programme organised to mark the National Earthquake Security Day on Sunday, they warned that a major earthquake similar to that of 1934 could hit the country in every 80 years, but there have not been adequate preparations to cope with such challenges.

A major earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale had shaken the country on 15th January 1934, 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.

Talking to Nepalnews on Monday, Amod Mani Dixit, executive director of the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), said that Nepal lies in eleventh position in terms of risk of casualty due to the earthquake.

He said that indifference of people towards the implementation of safety measures while constructing physical infrastructures is the main cause of growing risk.

He, however, said that enforcement of building codes, increase in the number of rescuer workers and formulation of proper strategy at the government level for minimizing the risk of earthquake are some positive signs.

“At present we are in very dark position from the earthquake safety point of view but we are moving towards the right direction to cope the challenge of such natural calamity,” he added.

A survey conducted by the NSET some seven years ago has suggested that in case of a quake measuring 6.5 or over on the Richter scale in the country, Kathmandu Valley would suffer the most.

According to the survey conducted by NSET, more than half the bridges would be heavily damaged and six in 10 buildings would cave in. The situation could turn worse if the entire water, sewerage, telephone and electric power systems come to a halt.

As many as 1,000 earthquakes, ranging from 2 to 5-magnitude on the Richter scale are recorded in Nepal each year.

The National Earthquake Security Day is organized on 15th January coinciding with the anniversary of the deadly quake that rocked the country on 15th January 1934.