Preparing for the unforseen: How Nepal is preparing for large aftershocks and monsoons

The nation of Nepal has had many trials to overcome with rebuilding a number of cities and villages due to the damage and destruction caused by the April 25th Gorkha earthquake and with the monsoon season imminently approaching. However, on May 12th, another devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.3 hit Nepal near Kodari, which is in the Sindhupalchowk district. This district, which was covered in our previous post “Emergency Response in Rural Areas”, was already heavily affected by the Gorkha earthquake.

Many of the buildings in Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk districts that were previously damaged from the Gorkha earthquake collapsed in the aftershock. In addition many additional buildings and infrastructure have been damaged from the aftershock. The affected areas were already prone to landslides, which have been blocking roads. The shaking on May 12th only exacerbated this condition. This aftershock not only disrupted the recovering infrastructure of Nepal but also created panic amongst the citizens of Nepal.

Aftershocks are common after large earthquakes, and many times the shaking can be just as strong as the main event.  This post addresses provisions that Nepal is taking to prepare for the potential for another disaster when their country is still recovering from the main shock of April 25. The reactive measures taken to help those in need due to damage from the May 12th aftershock have occurred quickly, but with monsoon seasonapproaching there also needs to be proactive measures taken to prepare the country for another disaster.

Reactive measures

• Relief camps in Chautara (Sindhupalchowk district) are accommodating additional people
• National search and rescue teams have been deployed

Proactive measures

• Additional shelter has been requested by the Nepalese Army
• Doctors and nurses at the hospitals in affected areas have been asked to continue to remain on stand-by

Places still in need of aid

• ReliefWeb has compiled a map showing areas where health supplies have been distributed and which aid organizations are in different areas of Nepal

Other useful tools available for emergency response

• Humanity Road has put together a complete situation report
• Interactive dashboard provided by Humanitarian Response

Curated topics from the April 25, 2015, Nepal Earthquake to help inform reconnaissance activities, identify impacted regions, and help document the timeline of earthquake response/recovery.