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Kathmandu Wednesday January 16, 2002 Magh 03, 2058.
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Earthquake Safety Day observed
Post Report
LALITPUR, Jan 15: For the first time in Nepal,
Earthquake Safety Day was observed with a ceremonial meeting and inauguration of
earthquake safety exhibition at the Jawalakhel playground in Lalitpur. The theme of the
day was "Making Nepal Earthquake Resilient by 2020".
The significance of the day lies deep within the
facts and figures of earthquake that shook Nepal in 1935 causing over 8,000 deaths.
According to the research and reports on National Disasters in Nepal conducted by
scientists, a major earthquake will hit the country within the next few years.
Speaking on the occasion, resident
representative of UNDP, Dr Henning Karcher said, "If a similar earthquake were to
happen tomorrow, 40,000 people would die and 95,000 would be injured, 60 percent of houses
would be destroyed, leaving 600,000 to 900,000 residents homeless."
The emergence of the Earthquake Safety Day is
important in Nepal wherein the lethality of the buildings in Kathmandu is considered
extremely high and evaluation of the fire- fighting, medical care and general preparedness
reveal serious problems in the current response capability.
However, says Bhakta Bahadur Balayar, State
Minister of Science and Technology, "We may not be able to stop natural disasters
like the earthquake but we can make-up a lot in our attempt to prevent it." It was
also said during the programme that the Ministry of Health with the assistance of WHO has
been working for the national health sector in connection with disaster preparedness.
The day was observed with the participation of
members of the National Committee for the Earthquake Safety Day, members of the Lalitpur
municipality, scout, police , students and others.
The programme was jointly organised by the
Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City and the National Society for Earthquake Technology.
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