A survey by the Kathmandu
Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project eight years ago warned that
around 40.000 people might die and nearly 100.000 might suffer injury
requiring hospital services when another earthquake measuring around 8.4
on the Richter scale (like the one in 1934) would hit the country.
The survey also estimated that six out of ten buildings would collapse.
On top of that the report also warns that 95 percent of water supply pipes
might explode and 50 percent of bridges and 10 percent of roads could
collapse in the valley.
In the face of such a calamity people would need prompt hospital
services. But the major hospitals in Kathmandu are poorly built so most
of them would be non-operational and the remaining ones will also see
services disrupted.
Is Nepal prepared to face such a disaster?
The answer is NO !
Not really. -
Although awareness is slowly growing, most of Nepal's inhabitants are
too poor or not educated enough the be able to be concerned about this
risk, to improve the construction of their house or even to buy and to
periodically update their survival kits.
-
like mentioned above most buildings will
collapse. Even in Japan, a country which is very rich and uses strict
building codes building were damaged by the 8.9 earthquake of March 11,
2011. In Nepal/Kathmandu several hospitals will collapse as well and
probably Kathmandu Airport and important road will be heavily damaged as
well. - The
March 11 quake in Japan caused a huge increase of the number of visitors
of this website. People searching for "earthquake Nepal" information.
Apparently many people (Nepalis living abroad?) are concerned about what
would happen if such a huge earthquake would hit Nepal, especially when
huge cities like Kathmandu or Pokhara are close to the epicentre.
See f.e. the following
article on
channelnewsasia.com:
With rescue work still
under way in Nepal after Sunday's deadly earthquake in the Himalayas,
scientists have warned that the capital Kathmandu is a high-risk city
unprepared for the next "Big One". Experts say Kathmandu is one of the
most vulnerable cities in the world with an overdue earthquake predicted
to kill tens of thousands of people and leave survivors cut off from
international aid. British geologist Dave Petley described the latest
tremor, which killed eight people in Nepal, as a "wake-up call" for the
overcrowded capital, home to two million people and connected to the
outside world by just three roads and one airport runway.
Read more
More information coming soon. |
