DANG, APRIL 28

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has insisted on highly prioritising disaster preparedness so as not only to reduce the impact but the risk as well. She urged the local levels across the country to take measures for mitigating the disaster risk.

While inaugurating a rehearsal for disaster preparedness and response at Tulsipur of Dang today, the Minister said timely preparedness would help reduce the effects.

Stating that Nepal incurred significant losses of lives and properties in incidents of earthquakes, floods and landslides in the past, the Minister said the consequences could not be mitigated in the absence of disaster preparedness.

Minister Sharma, also the government spokesperson, was of the opinion that people's representatives and civil society leaders should know about disaster preparedness and that their learning would be of great use during a disaster.