Initial assessment of local emergency operation centers in 32 earthquake affected districts of Nepal

Nepal is not only renowned for its abundance of natural landscape but is also known as disaster prone countries in the world. Every year in Nepal different geological and hydro-meteorological disastrous incidents claim a larger number of lives and cause significant economic damage. According to MoHA disaster reports, more than 80% of the population is exposed to the risk of natural hazards, which include earthquakes, droughts, floods, landslides, extreme temperature, and glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Likewise, rugged and fragile geological structures with variable climatic conditions across different ecological zones are considered major causes of disaster in Nepal. However, in the present context, rapid and unplanned urbanization, increasing population and limited knowledge and understanding of disaster risk reduction have further intensified disaster risk in Nepal.

The objective of assessment are;

• To assess and generate information on the status of LEOCs of all the local levels of 32 earthquake affected districts,
• To identify needs and capacity gaps to establish and reinforce LEOC at local level for operationalizing the DRRM Act, 2017, 
• To inform national policy making body MoHA/NDRRMA, MoFAGA about the latest status of LEOC, which will help them to informed decision making