Saturday’s earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale shook South Asia, causing extensive death and damage on both sides of Kashmir and in northwestern Pakistan. The tremors triggered landslides, flattened buildings, severed communication links and reportedly killed 30,000 people. However, Nepalis living in Pakistan are reportedly safe but the relatives of those Nepalis working in India — especially in Gadhwal, Nainital, Kashmir and New Delhi — are naturally very worried about their safety.

Some parts of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal were also jolted, but they escaped death and destruction. However, this should not give us reasons for complacency. As Nepal falls in the most vulnerable fifth seismic zone, geologists have repeatedly warned that a major earthquake may strike it at any time. The National Society for Earthquake Technology has predicted that if an earthquake of the force of the 1934 AD that had flattened Kathmandu repeats itself, over 40,000 people will perish in Kathmandu alone, besides 90,000 being injured and over seven hundred thousands rendered homeless. A powerful earthquake is said to strike Nepal every 75 years.

But are Nepalis prepared for such a disaster? It is not feasible for anybody to prevent earthquakes, but they can be anticipated and all measures taken so that we could cope with the situation should it arise in the future. It includes relief and rescue operations and reconstruction and rehabilitation. This calls for making available not only swift delivery of the emergency services, such as fire fighting and medical, but also taking care of those who have lost their houses, their family members and relatives and seeing to it that the situation is brought back to normal as soon as possible. It will be a gigantic managerial task, too. Experts suggest a number of measures, including the construction of earthquake-resistant houses and making people aware of how to respond to such an emergency. Certainly, these can considerably reduce the extent of death and destruction. But in a resource-poor country like Nepal, what should be stressed is to find ways of minimising the risks within our own means. This is not an easy task.

Most certainly not.