UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency

DISASTER RESPONSE
PREPAREDNESS PLAN
PREPAREDNESS
PART I

Source: Images of a Century: The Changing Townscapes of the Kathmandu Valley.

The destruction from the 1934 earthquake to Durbar Square around the Taleju bell.

Hazard Analysis and

Response Guidelines

United Nations Disaster Management Team

Nations
Kathmandu, Nepal
September 2001
 UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency

DISASTER RESPONSE
PREPAREDNESS PLAN
PREPAREDNESS
PART I

Hazard Analysis and

Response Guidelines

United Na tions Disaster

Nations
Management Team
Kathmandu, Nepal
September 2001
 Foreword
Nepal faces various types of natural and man-made risks. Although epidemics, floods and landslides result
in the most frequent disasters, it is the ever present probability of a major earthquake which is considered
the most serious threat due to the potentially massive scale of destruction that would occur. No-one
questions that earthquakes are an unavoidable part of Nepal’s future and many earthquake experts from
all over the world believe a major earthquake is likely to occur in the near future. It is thus considered
serious enough to warrant active and continuous readiness.

UN Nepal recognises that the magnitude of a disaster is greatly influenced by the vulnerability and coping
capacity of humans and societies affected by it. It is worth remembering that it is not earthquakes them-
selves that injure people but collapsing structures. Insufficient emergency response capability and lack of
emergency medical care facilities further aggravate the consequences of disasters. Since emergency pre-
paredness is much more effective and efficient than disaster response, UN Nepal gives the highest
priority to developing and implementing action plans/projects which will support measures for vulnerabil-
ity reduction and to capacity building, such as the preparation of this disaster response preparedness plan.
This follows the widely accepted principle that in any disaster prone country, emergency preparedness is
a precondition for sustainable development.

In order to effectively counter the risks of a major disaster, UN agencies have initiated, in 1999, an inter-
agency emergency planning process involving all UN agencies represented in Nepal and their respective
staff. A leading role was played by the UN Disaster Management Team and eight inter-agency disaster
preparedness clusters that operate under its umbrella. This Disaster Response Preparedness Plan is com-
posed of three parts. This document constitutes Part I, while Parts II and III are compiled separately. Part
I provides an analysis of experienced and anticipated hazards and their effects on humans as well as a
response guideline to major disasters, particularly a large-scale earthquake affecting the Kathmandu Valley.
Part II presents the action plans prepared by the inter-agency clusters that are expected to play a crucial
role in the internal disaster response operation. Part III is the collection of agency-specific disaster re-
sponse plans of UN agencies represented in Nepal that are expected to play a key role in the external
disaster response operation.

In preparing this plan, UN Nepal recognised that His Majesty’s Government has overall responsibility for
disaster management in Nepal. However, it was also realised that disasters are not only a national respon-
sibility but also universal concerns. In case of a large-scale earthquake, UN Nepal assumes that interna-
tional support will be required and provided. This assistance must be designed and provided in a manner
that compliments measures applied by HMG and its national partners. By distributing this report we trust
that potential partners, both within and outside His Majesty’s Government, will begin to understand the
support that would be needed and the contributions they could make both prior to and in the event of any
catastrophe.

In the process of formulating UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan we received
invaluable support, guidance and recommendations from several organisations and individuals. Without
these inputs we would not have been able to reach this final stage. We would like to take this opportunity
to thank all who have been involved in the process for their support and contributions.
In particular we would like to thank Mr. Evertt Ressler (UNICEF EMOPS in Geneva) for providing the
overall format and some of the key statements of this plan, Ms. Feng Min Kan (OCHA’s Regional Office
in Kobe) for her pragmatic suggestions regarding the planning process and the plan itself, and Mr. Amod
Dixit (NSET-Nepal) for his background information regarding the seismic hazards facing this country.

Whilst the production of the plan has been a collective undertaking, Mr. Erik Kjaergaard, Technical Officer
in WHO’s Emergency & Humanitarian Action Programme, Mr. Man B. Thapa, National Programme Man-
ager in UNDP’s Disaster Management Programme, and Mr. Neil Reece-Evans, former Deputy Resident
Representative in UNDP, have contributed significantly to the planning process, ensuring that we obtained
feedback from appropriate sources, and, ultimately, drafting this final version of the document. We would
also like to give recognition to the Heads of the UN Disaster Management Team Clusters for organising
their respective cluster teams and ensuring continual readiness for an emergency situation. They are: Man
B. Thapa, Assessment cluster; Simon Forrester, Awareness & Training cluster; Douglas C. Coutts, Commu-
nications cluster; Hans Spruijt, Food & Water cluster; Prithi Panditharatne, Health cluster; John Prout,
Logistics cluster; J. Bill Musoke, Search & Rescue cluster; Winston R. Rudder, Warden cluster.

Finally we would like to re-affirm that planning for disaster preparedness is an ever-evolving process. UN
Nepal wishes to share this plan with its partners in order to obtain feedback and seek their active collabo-
ration. Any comments or suggestions on how we can continue to develop our awareness and prepared-
ness will be highly appreciated and reflected in future versions of this document, which will be re-
published every year.

Henning Karcher
UN Resident Co-ordinator & Bill Musoke Leyla Tegmo-Reddy
Resident Representative, UNDP Representative, UNFPA Director, ILO

Michel Dupoizat Yoshiaki Kitamura Stewart McNab

Representative, UNHCR Representative, UNESCO Representative, UNICEF

Kenichi Ohashi Klaus Wagner Douglas C. Coutts

Country Director, World Bank Representative, WHO Representative, WFP

Michael Hahn Winston R. Rudder

Country Adviser, UNAIDS Representative, FAO
TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Objectives 2
1.2 Definitions 2
1.3 Focus 3
1.4 Two Disaster Response Approaches 4
1.5 Plan in Three Parts 4
Figure 1: The Response Plan and the Institutional Levels 4

2. HAZARDS EXPERIENCED & HUMAN EFFECTS 7

2.1 Loss of Life in Recent Years 7
Table 1: Number of Deaths due to Natural Hazards 1996-2000 7
Figure 2: Number of Deaths due to Natural Hazards 1996-2000 7
2.2 Number of Families Affected in Recent Years 7
Table 2: Number of Families Affected by Natural Hazards 1996-2000 7
Figure 3: Number of Families Affected by Natural Hazards 1996-2000 8
2.3 Earthquakes Experienced in Nepal 8
Box 1: The Gujarat Earthquake of 26 January 2001 8
2.4 Geographical Distribution of Recent Disasters 9
Map 1: Geographical Distribution of Recent Major Disasters 9

3. ANTICIPATED HAZARDS & HUMAN EFFECTS 11

3.1 Earthquakes 11
Map 2: Seismic Risks in Nepal 12
Box 2: The Global Earthquake Safety Initiative and Kathmandu’s
Earthquake Vulnerability 12
3.1.1 The Earthquake Scenario 13
Box 3: The Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Scenario 13
Box 4: Study on Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Kathmandu Valley 14
3.2 Floods and Landslides 14
3.3 Prioritisation of Natural Hazards 14
Table 3: Disasters Anticipated in the Near Future 15
4. RESPONSE GUIDELINES 17
4.1 Core Commitments 17
4.2 Guiding Principles 18
4.3 Basic Strategies 19
Figure 4: UN Nepal’s Disaster Management System 21

5. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 23

5.1 Senior Management 23
5.1.1 Designated Official 23
Box 5: Standing Orders for the Designated Official in the First Hours
of an Emergency 24
5.1.2 Heads of Agencies 25
5.1.3 Heads of Clusters 26
5.2 Special Emergency Management Systems 26
5.2.1 UNSMT 26
5.2.2 UNDMT 27
5.2.3 Clusters 28
5.2.4 Emergency Operations Centre 28
5.2.5 Emergency Officers 29
5.2.6 UN Staff 29
Box 6: Advice on Post-disaster Behaviour 30

6. SUMMARY OF CO-ORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS 31

6.1 Ministry of Home Affairs 31
6.2 Disaster Relief Committees 32
6.3 The Government and the International Community 32
6.4 Three Sectoral Working Groups 33
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ADPC Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre

CDRC Central Disaster Relief Committee
DDRC District Disaster Relief Committee
DHWG Disaster Health Working Group
EMOPS Emergency Management Operations Programme Services
FAO Food & Agriculture Organisation
FAWG Food & Agriculture Working Group
GESI Global Earthquake Safety Initiative
HMG His Majesty’s Government
ILO International Labour Organisation
JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency
LWG Logistics Working Group
NGO Non-government organisation
NSET – Nepal National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal
OCHA Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs
RADIUS Risk Assessment Tools for Diagnosis of Urban Areas Against Seismic Disasters
UN United Nations
UNCHS United Nations Centre for Human Settlements
UNCRD United Nations Centre for Regional Development
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNDMT United Nations Disaster Management Team
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNSECOORD United Nations Security Co-ordinator
UNSMT United Nations Security Management Team
WFP World Food Programme
WHO World Health Organisation
1. INTRODUCTION

At the end of 1999, UN agencies in Nepal initiated a collaborative preparedness planning

process to ensure that in the event of a major disaster - particularly a severe earthquake
affecting the Kathmandu Valley – the UN and its international partners will be able to
provide effective and timely assistance to people in need. This initiative reflects the fact
that UN agencies are expected to establish and maintain a level of readiness to respond
to emergencies commensurate with local hazards and the need for international
assistance. Preventing crisis situations, countering their destructive effects and ensuring
the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need are not only national
responsibilities but also universal concerns.

The UN response to emergencies is not only expected to be effective and timely, but
also coherent and co-ordinated. To this end, drafting contingency plans is a necessary
prerequisite1 . However, preparedness requires planning, not just writing a plan; in particular
defining anticipated hazards and elements at risk and agreeing on actions required and
how they will be addressed through collective and separate organisational efforts. It is
thus not the content of the plan itself that is critical, but rather the process it represents.
Still, recording plans helps to preserve the decision-making over time and over staff
changes. In addition, plans provide guidelines for future emergency preparedness efforts
and help other agencies understand how UN agencies will work together during
emergencies. It is important to emphasise that effective planning implies commitment to
action and carries with it responsibility and accountability.

“Effective planning implies commitment to

action and carries with it responsibility and
accountability”

The present UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan should

only be considered a preliminary outcome of an on-going planning process among UN
agencies in Nepal. It reflects the initial efforts to ensure preparedness by establishing a
collaborative basis for standing readiness. Readiness includes at least five basic elements:
1
 Introduction

staff safety, programme readiness, operations readiness, collaborative arrangements,

and capacity building. Whereas the first four elements are the explicit concerns of this
disaster response plan, capacity building takes place at many other levels inside and
outside the UN.

1.1 Objectives
The overall objective of the UN Nepal’s disaster response plan is to ensure that human
survival and well-being, particularly of the most vulnerable groups, is assured in whatever
emergencies develop.

“The overall objective is to ensure that human

survival and well-being, particularly of the most
vulnerable groups, is assured in whatever
emergencies develop”

The specific objectives of this disaster response plan are to ensure that UN Nepal has
the capacity to provide adequate relief to its own staff and their dependants in an effective
and timely manner and to provide effective and timely humanitarian assistance to people
in need in a way that facilitates mitigation, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development.
UN Nepal recognises that disasters should not only be evaluated in terms of their immediate
destructive effects but also in terms of their potentials as windows of opportunity for
future development.

1.2 Definitions
There is no unambiguous way to define key concepts in the field of emergency preparedness
and disaster management. UN Nepal may therefore categorise situations as disasters that
others would not, and vice versa. In accordance with the above objectives of this plan, UN
Nepal primarily defines situations as emergencies when the survival and well-being of people
are at risk.

The working definition of a disaster that underpins this plan is: A serious disruption of the
functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material or environmental loss, which
exceeds the ability of the affected society to cope within its own resources. The word
disaster is sometimes also used to describe a catastrophic situation in which the normal
patterns of life have been disrupted and extraordinary emergency interventions are required
to save and preserve human lives. The trigger event of a disaster is a hazard, which means a
rare or extreme natural or man-made event that threatens to adversely affect human life,
property or activity to the extent of causing a disaster. A natural disaster is thus a misleading
concept, as only the hazard may be of a natural nature. The destructive potential of a disaster
2
 Introduction

is aggravated by the vulnerability of humans and societies and is diminished by their

capacity to cope with the disaster. Human factors are thus to a large extent responsible
for the severity of a disaster.

Emergency, in our interpretation, is a closely related term with a stronger focus on

humans. An emergency is thus an extraordinary situation in which there are serious and
immediate threats to human life as a result of disasters, potential disasters or cumulative
processes of neglect, civil conflict, environmental degradation and socio-economic
instability. No matter what the hazard, declaring a situation or problem an emergency is
a call for extraordinary action.

UN Nepal has found it useful to distinguish between emergency preparedness and disaster
response. Whereas emergency preparedness focuses on various measures before a
disaster happens, such as vulnerability reduction and capacity building, disaster response
focuses on the rescue and relief operation after the occurrence of a disaster.

The objectives of this plan indicate that UN Nepal is not only concerned about the safety
of its own staff and their dependants but also about the survival and well-being of the
population at large. This distinction between internal and external aspects of disaster
management is important to keep in mind while reading this plan as it structures the
complexity of the subject matter.

Another distinction that helps to understand the planning approach is between a top-down and
bottom-up approach. The planning process has taken place within a vision of what UN Nepal
ought to do (as defined by policymakers and disaster managers) and what individual clusters
and agencies are capable of doing (as defined by implementers).

1.3 Focus
The title of UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan reveals the exact
focus of the plan. Whereas the planning process represents a substantial part of UN Nepal’s
emergency preparedness effort, the plan itself pays more attention to outlining an appropriate
disaster response. The standing capacity that UN Nepal and its partners maintain to initially
respond to the sudden development of an emergency is of particular interest.

Many situations may be considered disasters, from a plane crash involving a few casualties to
a major flood involving many victims. Although UN Nepal strives to ensure the survival and
well-being of people in all types of emergencies, the primary focus of this plan is on natural
hazards in general and on earthquakes in particular. This is partly due to the anticipated
hazards and their consequences (as described in chapter 3) and partly due to the division of
labour between the United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) and the United
Nations Security Management Team (UNSMT).
3
 Introduction

Regarding scale, the emergency procedures described in this plan will only come into
action if the disaster is of such a magnitude that the usual programmes cannot deal with
the affected population. This is typically the case if casualties are counted in three or four
digit numbers or if UN staff are injured.

1.4 Two Disaster Response Approaches

UN Nepal plans its disaster response in two distinct ways according to the frequency and
magnitude of the anticipated disasters:

1) For frequent and somewhat manageable emergencies - a severity that the agencies
can respond to without significant international support - UN Nepal aims at responding
through contingency plans and programmes regularly updated by UN agencies and the
UNDMT. It is thus necessary to incorporate emergency preparedness and disaster
management as an integral part of UN’s development initiatives through a strategy of
collaboration and integration. However, UN Nepal may choose to reorient its programmes
to incorporate mitigation and rehabilitation as disasters unfold.

2) For infrequent and catastrophic emergencies - a

Figure 1: The Response Plan and the Institutional Levels
severity that is likely to greatly exceed the usual disaster
THE DISASTER THE INSTITUTIONAL response mechanisms of UN agencies and necessitate
RESPONSE PLAN LEVEL significant international support - UN Nepal has developed
Part I Policy Level this disaster response plan that the UNDMT is committed
to update at least annually. Special contingency plans
Part II Inter-Agency Level
that incorporate required collaborative actions with
neighbouring country offices, regional offices,
headquarters and OCHA/UNSECOORD are called for as
Part III Agency Level
a supplement to this plan.

1.5 Plan in Three Parts

This Disaster Response Preparedness Plan is composed of three parts. This document
constitutes Part I, while Parts II and III are compiled separately. Part I provides an
analysis of experienced and anticipated hazards and their effects on humans as well as
a response guideline to major disasters, particularly a large-scale earthquake affecting
the Kathmandu Valley. Part II presents the action plans prepared by the inter-agency
clusters that are expected to play a crucial role in the internal disaster response operation.
Part III is the collection of agency-specific disaster response plans of UN agencies
represented in Nepal that are expected to play a key role in the external disaster response
operation.

The following figure may help to clarify how the three parts of this plan are related to the
various institutional levels of the emergency preparedness and disaster management
system:
4
 Introduction

While Part I deals with the entire disaster management system, Part II focuses on inter-
agency co-ordination of the planned internal disaster response and Part III focuses on
the agency-specific external disaster response plans. Part II targets UN staff and their
dependants whereas Part III concerns the population at large1 . This division of labour
between inter-agency clusters and separate UN agencies has been established as a
means of giving initial priority to staff safety through a high degree of internal collaboration
while at the same time allowing each UN agency to respond externally in accordance with
its own priorities and concerns.

UN Nepal recognises that a coherent and co-ordinated disaster response is obtained by first
giving priority to Parts I and II of this plan. At a later time, separate agencies can draw on the
resources and efforts of Parts I and II in designing or improving their own external disaster
response plans as outlined in Part III.

1
Contingency planning is a forward planning process in which response systems are put in place in order to
mitigate the impacts of disasters by better responding to emergencies.
2
Due to its mandate, the Assessment Cluster is bound to be concerned with external matters. 5
2. HAZARDS EXPERIENCED &
HUMAN EFFECTS

In order to assess anticipated disasters and their human effects realistically, it is necessary to
analyse the consequences of previous natural hazards experienced during recent years.

2.1 Loss of Life in Recent Years Table 1: Number of Deaths due to Natural Hazards
Table 1 gives an overview of the loss of life in Nepal 1996-2000
Type of Hazard 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
due to various natural hazards during the last five years. Windstorms & Hailstorms 47 - 6 6 3
Thunderbolts 28 49 17 16 23
The categorisation and data originates from the Ministry Floods & Landslides 258 83 273 193 173
of Home Affairs. It is worth noting that mortality rates Fires 61 65 54 39 38
Epidemics1 494 951 840 1,207 141
are the most reliable disaster statistics in Nepal as they Earthquakes 3 - - - -
Avalanches 4 12 - 5 -
are compiled from police reports. TOTAL 895 1,160 1,190 1,466 378

Figure 2 shows that epidemics have claimed by far the

most lives, followed by floods & landslides. Fires,
Figure 2: Number of Deaths due to Natural Hazards
thunderbolts, and windstorms & hailstorms have also
1996-2000
caused significant numbers of deaths, while the
importance of avalanches and earthquakes is negligible 1600
Windstorms &
1400 Hailstorms
in recent statistics. 1200
Thunderbolts

Floods &
1000 Landslides
800 Fires

2.2 Number of Families Affected in Recent 600 Epidemics

Earthquakes
Years
400
200 Avalanches

Table 2 gives an overview of the number of families 0

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

affected by various natural hazards in Nepal over the

last five years. Again, the categorisation and data
originates from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Although
it remains unclear what the exact definition of an Table 2: Number of Families Affected by Natural Hazards 1996-
2000
affected family is, the statistics indicate that innumerable Type of Hazard 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
families suffer from disasters every year. Windstorms & Hailstorms 13,371 34,531 172 293 59
Thunderbolts 93 144 87 55 70
Floods & Landslides 37,096 5,648 33,541 8,925 15,617
Fires 6,630 3,380 876 1,065 1,254
Figure 3 shows that most families have been affected Epidemics 1,411 1,897 2,300 6,119 735
by floods & landslides and windstorms & hailstorms, Earthquakes 2 269 3 90 -
Avalanches 4 185 - 1 -
followed by fires and epidemics. Thunderbolts, TOTAL 58,607 46,054 36,979 16,548 17,735
7
 Hazards Experienced & Human Effects

Figure 3: Number of Families Affected by Natural earthquakes and avalanches have only affected a small number
Hazards 1996-2000 of families in recent years.
70000
Windstorms &
Hailstorms
60000
Annual variation is significant, both in terms of lives lost
Thunderbolts
50000

40000
Floods &
and number of families affected. While the number of families
Landslides
Fires

30000
affected decreased from 1996 to 1999, the number of deaths
Epidemics

20000 increased over the same time period. Paradoxically, this

Earthquakes

10000
trend hints at a smaller number but more severe disasters.
Avalanches

0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 However, the data for 2000 contradicts this trend. In any
case, uncertainty regarding definitions, validity of data, the
limited amount of data available and the annual variation make it difficult to draw any firm
conclusions.

2.3 Earthquakes Experienced in Nepal

Regarding infrequent disasters such as earthquakes, recent disaster statistics are
insufficient. Nepal has a long record of destructive earthquakes that extends back to
1255 AD. According to historical evidence, Nepal has experienced nine major earthquakes
over the last 700 years. Recurring earthquakes during the 20th century claimed more than
23,000 lives. Most prominent among them was The Great Bihar Earthquake - which could
just as well have been called The Great Kathmandu Earthquake - in 1934, measuring 8.3-
8.4 on the Richter scale2 . Approximately 8,500 people lost their lives, tens of thousands

Box 1: The Gujarat Earthquake of 26 January 2001

On Indian Republic Day, 2001, at 8:46 am local time, the second largest earthquake in the recorded
history of India occurred; the tremors were felt in neighbouring countries and in the Kathmandu Valley.
The recent earthquake in Gujarat on 26 January may help us get an overview of the anticipated
consequences of a major earthquake in Nepal.

The magnitude of the disaster was so great that it will take time to develop a complete and comprehensive
picture of the damage caused. The official death toll on 1 June was 17,110, but up to 25,000 deaths
may have occurred. More than 166,812 people were reported injured and more than one million
houses were either destroyed or damaged. In some villages and towns more than 90% of the buildings
were levelled to the ground. Approximately 16 million people were affected by the earthquake, which
caused an estimated loss of property equivalent to nearly US$ 5 billion.

It is worth noting that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale and that the epicentre
of the quake was located in the sparsely populated Katch District of Gujarat. It is also worth noting that
the infrastructure of Gujarat was excellent in terms of roads and airports and that the Indian Defence
Services provided an impressive first response to the emergency.
8
 Hazards Experienced & Human Effects

were wounded, 20% of the Valley’s buildings were destroyed and 40% were damaged,
including a large number of temples and monuments. In 1988, an earthquake of magnitude
6.6 on the Richter scale hit eastern Nepal, with the epicentre in Udayapur. More than 700
people were killed, about 6,500 were injured, 22,000 houses collapsed and approximately
56,000 houses were damaged.

An earthquake of the 1934 magnitude affecting the densely populated Kathmandu Valley is
likely to result in more deaths and casualties than the Gujarat earthquake. Furthermore, the
current infrastructure of the valley will not allow a similar response operation. It also remains
questionable whether Nepal would be capable of responding as India did. Only systematic
emergency preparedness efforts and a institutionalised disaster management system can
mitigate the effects of a devastating earthquake in Nepal.

2.4 Geographical Distribution of Recent Disasters

Map 1 shows the geographical distribution of recent disasters recorded by the Epidemiology
and Disease Control Division of the Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health.
Since last year’s floods & landslides affected almost every district of Nepal, this disaster
is not indicated on the map. Even without this major event, the map suggests that all
regions are prone to natural hazards.

Map 1: Geographical Distribution of Recent Major Disasters

Humla

Darchula

Bajhang
Mugu Floods 1993
Baitadi
Bajura
Earthquake 1988
Jumla
Mustang
Kalikot Dolpa
Dadel Achham
Dhura Doti
Manang
Dailekh Jajarkot
Rukum
Kanchanpur Gorkha
Myagdi
Kailali Kaski Rasuwa
Lamjung
Surkhet Baglung Parbat
Salyan Rolpa Sindhu Taplejung
Planchok Dolakha Sankhuwa
Nuwakot Sabha
Bardiya
Pyuthan Gulmi Syanja Tanahu Solukhombu
Dhading Balaju
Banke Arghakhanchi Rame Chap
Earthquake 1980 Dang Palpa
Nawalparasi Chitawan
Hetauda Kathmandu
Makawanpur
Okhal
Dhunga Bhojpur
Terha Panchthar
Thum
Khotang
Kapilbastu Sindhuli
Rupandehi
Parsa Dhanuta Ilam

Earthquake 1993 Bara Sarlahi

Mah
Dhanusa Udayapur
Rautahat Ott Siraha SunSari Morang Jhapa
Ari
Saptari

Earthquakes Floods

1
The current statistics on epidemics are field based and not hospital based.
2
The strength of an earthquake can be measured by magnitude and intensity. Magnitude is a measure of the
physical energy released by the earthquake at the hypocentre and it is commonly measured on the open-
ended logarithmic Richter scale. Intensity is the effect of an earthquake at a particular place on the earth’s
surface and it is commonly measured on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. 9
3. ANTICIPATED HAZARDS &
HUMAN EFFECTS

The previous chapter shows that Nepal is a disaster prone country exposed to most types of
natural hazards such as avalanches, earthquakes, epidemics, fires, floods, hailstorms,
thunderbolts and windstorms. The chapter reveals that it is worth paying special attention to
earthquakes and floods & landslides due to their human effects1 . However, since a future
disaster could easily change existing disaster statistics, it is insufficient to exclusively use past
events as a foundation for predicting future emergencies. This chapter discusses the anticipated
hazards and the human effects that UN Nepal foresees as potential scenarios in the near
future. Both chapters serve as a foundation for planning an appropriate disaster response.

3.1 Earthquakes
Nepal is situated in the seismically active Himalayan mountain belt dominated by the northward
movement of the Indian tectonic plate towards and below the Eurasian tectonic plate. The
role of earthquakes is essentially to catch up with the rate of convergence of these plates.
Every year, more than a thousand earthquakes of various magnitudes ranging from 2 to 5 on
the Richter scale occur in the country. Even this high number of earthquakes cannot release
the accumulated energy underground. According to many geologists, only major earthquakes
can compensate for the movements of the plates.

UNDP and UNCHS have produced a seismic risk map of Nepal based on geological data.
The seismic zoning of the country is shown on map 2, where z=1.1 and z=1.0 represent
the highest earthquake risk zones. The map indicates that the middle part of the country is
more vulnerable to earthquakes than the northern and southern parts. Likewise, the western
and central parts of Nepal are more exposed than the far-eastern part. Unfortunately, the
middle part of the country consists of valleys where a large percentage of the population and
vulnerable infrastructure is concentrated.

The amount of damage is strongly influenced by the composition of the underground. The
Kathmandu Valley is a lake basin consisting of soft sediments such as clay-silt and sand.
According to most experts, a large part of the valley is susceptible to liquefaction2 due to the
presence of fine sand and a high water table. Due to the basin effect, seismic waves are
amplified and thereby likely to increase the level of destruction.
11
 Anticipated Hazards & Human Effects

Map 2: Seismic Risks in Nepal As previously pointed out, the

magnitude of disasters does not only
relate to the hazard itself but also to
society’s vulnerability and capacity to
respond. Vulnerability in urban and
rural areas differs because of variations
in concentration of population,
quantity and quality of constructions
and availability of response options.
Kathmandu Valley and other city
centres are particularly vulnerable to
earthquakes due to population growth,
urban population density and prevalent
poverty, which increase the likelihood
of dangerous constructions. Lack of proper urban planning, insufficient enforcement of building
codes and poorly constructed and maintained structures further enhance the destructive
potential of seismic hazards. It is worth remembering that it is not earthquakes themselves
that injure people but collapsing structures. Insufficient emergency response capability and
lack of emergency medical facilities further aggravate the consequences of earthquakes.

Box 2: The Global Earthquake Safety Initiative and Kathmandu’s Earthquake Vulnerability

The Global Earthquake Safety Initiative (GESI), organised by GeoHazards International and UNCRD, focuses on
helping cities around the world to recognise and reduce their risk of loss of life in earthquakes. This initiative
builds on the work of RADIUS and is targeted to decision-makers and disaster managers in earthquake
threatened cities world-wide.

The study undertaken demonstrates that urban earthquake risk is greatest and most rapidly growing in developing
countries and that the proportion of the world’s expenditures on earthquake research aimed at the needs of
developing countries remains small. While the average lethality of earthquakes in developed countries has
decreased significantly over the last century, the average lethality in developing countries remains high.

Data on a wide range of topics affecting loss of life in earthquakes has been collected from 21 highly vulnerable
cities around the world, including Kathmandu. The preliminary results suggest that Kathmandu has the lowest
performance among all 21 major cities. It not only poses the highest risk of casualties in absolute numbers but
also the highest per capita risk.

The lethality of buildings in Kathmandu is considered extremely high. The evaluation of fire fighting preparedness,
medical care preparedness and general preparedness reveals serious problems in the current disaster response
capability. The study suggests that the best mitigation options in Kathmandu are to increase the quality of
buildings, improve medical preparedness and strengthen the level of emergency preparedness.
12
 Anticipated Hazards & Human Effects

3.1.1 The Earthquake Scenario

The seismic record of the country seems to suggest that earthquakes of the 1934 magnitude
occur approximately every 75 years. Even though this is only a statistical estimate, no one
questions that major earthquakes are an unavoidable part of Nepal’s future. Many experts
believe a major earthquake is bound to happen in the near future, considering the recent
seismic activity in the region.

Among all disaster scenarios in Nepal, none is as frightening as the prospect of a major
earthquake affecting the Kathmandu Valley. Due to the collaborative efforts of NSET-Nepal
and GeoHazards International, a thorough description of this scenario has been publicly
available since the last few years. As it remains the best description of the anticipated
consequences, UN Nepal has adopted it in its contingency planning process.

Box 3: The Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Scenario

The Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project has estimated what would
happen if the shaking of The Great Bihar Earthquake was repeated in the Kathmandu
Valley at this point in time. Even though the next great earthquake is unlikely to have the
same magnitude and location as the 1934 event, it is reasonable to assume that due to
the soft subsurface of the valley the shaking pattern will not differ radically.

A frightening estimate would count approximately 40,000 deaths and 95,000 injured. More
than 60% of the existing buildings would be destroyed, many beyond repair, leaving
600,000 to 900,000 residents homeless. In Bhaktapur alone, more than 75% of the housing
stock would be heavily damaged. Moreover, 95% of the water pipes and 50% of the
pumping stations, treatment plants etc. could be seriously affected, hampering water
supplies for several months. Furthermore, almost all telephone exchange buildings and 60%
of the telephone lines are likely to remain defunct for at least one month, as well as
approximately 40% of the electric lines and all electricity substations. In addition, it is
estimated that almost half of the bridges and many narrow roads in the valley could be
impassable due to damage or debris. Although liquefaction susceptibility is very low around
Tribhuvan International Airport, the airport is likely to be isolated due to destroyed bridges
and roads in its proximity. One serious consequence would be that the arrival of international
relief teams and assistance by air would be delayed and complicated due to collapsed
structures.
Source: The Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Action Plan. NSET-Nepal &
GeoHazards International, Kathmandu, 1999

Any earthquake scenario is open for discussion. On the one hand the recent earthquake in
Gujarat on 26 January 2001 confirms that the above estimates are not taken from out of the
blue. Rather than sensationalism, the predicted disaster statistics could be conservative. On
the other hand another earthquake risk study carried out recently ended up with a slightly 13
 Anticipated Hazards & Human Effects

lower estimate of the death toll and building damage. It is worth noting that neither scenario
deals with long-term consequences, which are likely to hamper the development of the
country.

Box 4: Study on Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Kathmandu Valley

The JICA study team presented the preliminary results of their hazard & risk analysis at
the 1st seminar on Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Kathmandu Valley on 10 August
2001. The seminar, which was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Department of Drug Control & Disaster Management, qualified the findings of
the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Scenario. According to the study team, a repetition of
the 1934 earthquake would result in 19,523 deaths and 136,474 damaged buildings. The
study team has also considerably downscaled the potential of liquefaction in Kathmandu
Valley. A description of the study and the preliminary results can be found on the website
http://www.jica-eqdm-ktm.org.np.

3.2 Floods and Landslides

The topographical setting of Nepal contributes substantially to the risk of disasters. Most of
the country is composed of steep and fragile mountainous terrain that provokes or amplifies
specific hazards. Prominent among them are high altitude hazards like glacial lake outburst
floods, avalanches and hailstorms, and mid and low altitude hazards like landslides and floods.
The excessive accumulation or flow of water is often the result of monsoon clouds that bring
torrential rainfall to the southern slope of the Himalayas. The combination of the topography
and weather conditions makes many parts of the country inaccessible during the winter and
rainy seasons. This situation creates logistical problems in terms of accessing potential disaster
sites in remote areas.

Floods and landslides are the most regularly occurring and most threatening water-induced
hazards in Nepal. Light floods and local landslides occur annually and are part of life in the
Terai and the Mid Hills. Landslides frequently dam rivers which, when breached, create
massive surges downstream. During the last decade, severe floods affected the country in
1993 and 2000. The cumulative effects of floods and landslides is higher than from any other
disaster as it directly affects the majority of the population and agricultural production in the
Terai – the so-called breadbasket of the country.

3.3 Prioritisation of Natural Hazards

Although floods and landslides trigger the most regularly occurring disasters in Nepal, they do
not usually require special contingency plans from UN Nepal. Light floods and local landslides
have only limited humanitarian implications that are usually met by local or national authorities.
However, a catastrophic flood similar to the one in 1993 can cause massive displacement of
14 people and poses severe public health risks due to disruption of water supplies and sanitation
 Anticipated Hazards & Human Effects

facilities. The situation is more critical regarding earthquakes. The risk of a major earthquake
with frightening humanitarian implications is so big that a high level of emergency preparedness
and standing readiness must be maintained.

Table 3 summarises how UN Nepal evaluates the anticipated large-scale disasters of the near
future. For each hazard, it analyses the potential scale, the likelihood of occurrence, the
possibilities of early warning and the human effects of a consequent disaster. The likelihood
of occurrence in the near future is rated by the following criteria: 5 suggests the disaster is
very likely to happen, 4 suggests it is likely to happen, 3 suggests it may happen and 1
suggests it is unlikely to occur.

Table 3: Disasters Anticipated in the Near Future

TYPE OF HAZARD POTENTIAL SCALE LIKELIHOOD EARLY WARNING HUMAN EFFECTS
Earthquakes Small to large 4-5 No Up to 40,000 deaths,
95,000 injured, 600-
900,000 homeless

Floods & Landslides Small to medium 4-5 Yes Up to 1,000 deaths, 10-
20,000 homeless

1
Mainly due to the fact that the Ministry of Health and the Disaster Health Working Group are occupied with
the health aspects of emergencies, epidemics are deliberately downplayed in this disaster response plan.
2
Liquefaction is a process by which water-saturated soil changes from a firm substance to a semi-liquid
material when shaken and thereby loses its ability to support structures. 15
4. RESPONSE GUIDELINES

“In case of a major earthquake, UN Nepal aims at being

instrumental in developing standing readiness to provide
initial survival assistance within 24-48 hours to 200,000
people for one week, and within 7 days to 500,000 people
for one month”

4.1 Core Commitments

The following commitments reflect the basis on which UN Nepal plans its initial response:

1) Different types of disasters are to be expected any time. Worst among them is a severe
earthquake affecting the Kathmandu Valley. It is considered an eminent possibility, serious
enough to warrant continuous readiness. A large-scale earthquake is likely to be followed by
many aftershocks and the potential of subsequent quakes. It would impact both urban and
rural settlements across the entire country, and very likely parts of neighbouring India.

2) As a general assumption about scale, it is assumed that in relation to a major earthquake,

up to one million people may require some kind of emergency assistance. In case of other
emergencies, notably floods and epidemics, the scale is considerably lower although the
cumulative effects over the years are high.

3) UNDMT monitors hazards and potential emergencies in order to issue early warnings and
ensure a rapid response. In relation to epidemics and floods, UN Nepal aims to be among
the first agencies to trace early warnings and take necessary action. When disasters occur,
UN Nepal aims to participate in rapid field assessments within 24 hours of reported incidents.

4) UN Nepal recognises His Majesty’s Government (HMG) as holding the overall responsibility
of disaster management in Nepal. The Government is thus the co-ordinator of all activities
relating to prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, recovery and rehabilitation. HMG
should give high priority to the preparation of its own personnel to respond to the emergency
needs of the affected population. It is assumed that basic emergency needs will be met by
the affected families themselves, NGOs and local and national authorities.
17
 Response Guidelines

5) In the case of large-scale disasters, international support will be required. This assistance
must be designed and provided in a manner that compliments, not duplicates, measures
taken by HMG and its partners.

6) UN Nepal will typically respond to larger and more severe emergencies. As a general
principle, UN Nepal responds whenever the scale or severity is such that UN assistance is
needed to help local or national efforts meet the survival and basic needs of the victims.

7) To ensure rapid response, UN Nepal aims at being instrumental in developing standing

readiness to provide initial survival assistance. In case of a major earthquake, assistance will
be provided within 24-48 hours for 200,000 people for one week, and within 7 days for
500,000 people for one month. In case of other disasters such as floods or epidemics,
assistance will be provided within 7-15 days for up to 20,000 people for one month.

8) In view of the threatening earthquake scenario, all UN agency heads and cluster leaders
have decided to give high priority to the emergency planning process in order to ensure that
UN Nepal will be able to meet the above core commitments in the near future. All UN
agency heads have further decided to appoint an emergency focal point in order to simplify
and optimise the lines of communication and command.

9) UN Nepal is committed to arranging frequent Disaster Awareness Days including mock

exercises in order to maintain the commitment of all UN staff and their dependants at UN
agency and project levels.

4.2 Guiding Principles

UN Nepal’s emergency planning process is based on the following guiding principles:

1) In recognition of the fact that emergency preparedness is a much more effective and
efficient undertaking than disaster response, UN Nepal gives highest priority to vulnerability
reduction and capacity building, including drafting this disaster response preparedness plan.
Addressing the issues of structural and non-structural assessment and reinforcement of UN
residences and offices is the only effective means of ensuring the safety of UN staff and the
operational capacity of the UN.

2) In order to ensure sustainability, emergency preparedness should be a part of the

programmes and operation systems of all UN agencies, implemented through a strategy of
integration. Preparedness is the responsibility of every agency and staff member and not
simply of UNDMT and disaster managers. Distribution of Earthquake Survival Kits to all UN
offices, staff and dependants is an indicator of an acceptable minimum level of preparedness.

3) A sectoral approach is applied during the emergency planning process in order to avoid
duplication of efforts and maximise utilisation of existing resources.
18
 Response Guidelines

4) The disaster response plan is based on the worst case scenario presented in section 3.1.1,
i.e. a major earthquake affecting the Kathmandu Valley. In addition, experiences from the
flood disaster of 1993 and the Gujarat earthquake of 2001 have played an important role in
terms of lessons learned.

5) The disaster response plan operates at two integrated levels, in terms of assistance to UN
Nepal’s own staff and their dependants (internal disaster management), and to the country
at large (external disaster management).

6) The disaster response plan corresponds to existing Government rules and regulations and
to UN programmes and plans, paying special attention to the most vulnerable groups.

7) The disaster response operation must reflect fixed priorities and programmes agreed upon
during the emergency planning process in order to maximise the impact of the response.

8) Foreign relief assistance should be given only in consultation with officials designated by
the Ministry of Home Affairs and, whenever relevant, the Ministry of Health to co-ordinate
such assistance. Priorities should be clearly stated, making a distinction between immediate
needs and those of rehabilitation and reconstruction.

9) The disaster response operation must be transparent in relation to beneficiaries and partners.

10) The disaster response operation must facilitate mitigation, rehabilitation, reconstruction
and eventually, sustainable development.

4.3 Basic Strategies

1) The emergency planning process must be participatory, involving all UN agencies and as
many staff as possible. Parts II and III of this plan have therefore been completed through a
participatory process in clusters and agencies.

2) Voluntarism should be the basic principle of the UN’s internal emergency planning process
in order to ensure full commitment from staff, which is a precondition for a participatory
approach. A system of recognition and reward should be institutionalised in order to formalise
the voluntarism and encourage emergency planners to carry out their duties.

3) The disaster response operation will be directed from the Emergency Operations Centre
located on the UN premises in Pulchowk. This Emergency Operations Centre will work in
close collaboration with the Government’s Emergency Control Room at the Ministry of Home
Affairs in Singha Durbar.

4) UN Nepal aims to provide a co-ordinated inter-agency response in close collaboration

with Government, donors, NGOs and specialised agencies. To co-ordinate UN Nepal’s own
19
 Response Guidelines

disaster response, and thereby ensure internal collaboration, eight inter-agency clusters which
have already been established covering the areas of awareness raising & training, warden
system, assessment, communications, logistics, search & rescue, health, and food & water
will be activated. To co-ordinate the national disaster response, and thereby ensure external
collaboration, three sectoral working groups which have already been established, covering
the areas of food & agriculture, health, and logistics, will be activated. Figure 4 shows an
organogram of UN Nepal’s disaster management system.

5) Because resources are limited, UN Nepal gives priority to the following six types of response:
assessment, relief, leadership, co-ordination, communication and fundraising.

6) Donors should be discouraged from competing with each other to meet the most visible
needs of the affected population. The quality and appropriateness of assistance is more
critical than its magnitude, monetary value or speed with which it arrives.

7) Donors should be informed of what is not wanted or needed. This is as critical as giving
specifications for requirements. Guidelines should be circulated to all potential suppliers of
assistance and to diplomatic and consular representatives abroad to prevent ineffective
contributions.

8) Plans, programmes and funding to support long-term rehabilitation will be developed on

an ad hoc basis after a specific disaster has occurred.

“UN Nepal gives priority to the following six types

of response: assessment, relief, leadership, co-
ordination, communication and fundraising”

20
 21
Central Disaster Relief Committee

Food and Agriculture Working Group

WHO
Line Ministries

External Management System

Home Minister

Health Working Group

WFP
Response Guidelines

Logistics Working Group

Figure 4: UN Nepal’s Disaster Management System

UNICEF
Food and Water Cluster
Health Cluster UNHCR
UN Heads of Agencies
UN Designated Official

Search and Rescue Cluster

UNDMT & UNSMT

UNFPA

Internal Management System

Logistics & Shelter Cluster
UNESCO
Communications Cluster
UNDP
Assessment Cluster
Warden Cluster ILO

UNESCOORD
UN HQs
OCHA
Awareness & Training Cluster
FAO
5. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS

UN Nepal strives to maintain an efficient and effective management system in times of

disaster, with respect to both internal and external affairs. It does so by developing an
appropriate disaster management system and by preparing the traditional management system
for emergencies. The ultimate goal of both management systems is to ensure that areas of
responsibility and lines of authority are clearly spelled out and that working links between all
levels of the UN and its partners are clearly defined. This chapter presents the various
component systems and their responsibilities before and during a disaster.

5.1 Senior Management

5.1.1 Designated Official

The Designated Official and Deputy Designated Official are the overall managers of UN
Nepal’s inter-agency emergency preparedness efforts and disaster response operations. The
following matrix identifies their key areas of responsibility before and during an emergency:

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY DURING AN EMERGENCY

1) Ensure the development, implementation and continuous updating of
UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan in
light of current developments and concerns.
2) Forward the disaster response preparedness plan and all annexes/
background papers of equipment/supply needs to international part-
ners, such as OCHA and UN India. Ensure that additions/modifica-
tions to the plan are regularly forwarded.
3) Assign emergency preparedness and disaster response roles and
responsibilities to different UN agencies and individuals.
4) Upgrade the disaster management capacity of all staff involved in the
UN emergency planning process.
5) Ensure that staff awareness of emergency preparedness and disaster
response is maintained at a high level.
6) Organise rehearsals of disaster scenarios and reflect the lessons
learned in the disaster response preparedness plan.
7) Endeavour to support appropriate ministries in developing emergency
preparedness and disaster response plans at national, regional and
district levels.
8) Liase with the Government, UN Headquarters, international agen-
cies, donor communities and civil society.
9) To be continued.
1) Declare the situation an emergency and activate emergency proce-
dures, including the standing orders described in box 5.
2) Report the emergency immediately to UN Headquarters, OCHA and
UNSECOORD. Maintain regular communication with these agen-
cies, constantly reviewing information, priorities and needs.
3) Contact government officials and gather information available from
them. Inform them that the UN has initiated a disaster response plan.
Advise them to implement counterpart elements of the plan.
4) Activate the Emergency Operations Centre and call a UNDMT meet-
ing immediately. Get an overview of the emergency situation and
initiate implementation of action plans.
5) Monitor the performance of agencies, clusters and staff with respect
to their assigned disaster response roles. Pay special attention to
stress and fatigue amongst agency/cluster heads and establish and
maintain a work schedule.
6) Manage technical and financial inputs relating to the disaster re-
sponse operation. Assign additional resources to support the opera-
tion as necessary and as available.
7) Regularly brief all staff on the response operation status.
8) Liase with the Government, UN Headquarters, international agen-
cies, donor communities and civil society.
9) To be continued.
23
 Emergency Management Systems

The name of the Designated Official: Henning Karcher (UNDP). In the absence of the
Designated Official, the Deputy Designated Official will assume the above responsibilities.

The name of the Deputy Designated Official: Stewart McNab (UNICEF). In the absence of
the Designated Official and Deputy Designated Official, a third person will be nominated as
Deputy. This will be advised by general circular to all staff as and when the situation arises.

Box 5: Standing Orders for the Designated Official in the First Hours of an Emergency

1. Contact the Deputy Designated Official and Field Security Officer (if either or both are unavailable,
contact the heads of the Warden Cluster and Communications Cluster). Establish individual status and
gather information available to them. Advise UNDMT to relocate to the Emergency Operations Centre as
soon as possible and instruct them to implement the disaster response plan according to their roles, giving
highest priority to the internal response operation among UN agencies.

2. Report the emergency immediately to UN Headquarters, OCHA and UNSECOORD. The first report
should provide available information about the emergency situation, indicate next steps, advise what assistance
is urgently needed, define how to maintain contact, and decide when the next anticipated report is to be
expected.

3. Contact government officials, establish status and gather information available to them. Inform them that
the UN has initiated the disaster response plan and intends to relocate to the Emergency Operations Centre
as soon as possible. Advise them to implement counterpart elements of the plan, such as activating the
three sectoral working groups in order to facilitate co-ordination and collaboration.

4. Ensure own residence is secure, gas and electricity switched off. Relocate to the Emergency Operations
Centre, bring satellite phone, UN Nepal’s Earthquake Survival Kit and other necessary items as per personal
requirements.

5. Establish the Emergency Operations Centre and give priority to ensuring security at the UN House.
Establish UNDMT; if actual members are not present, instruct available alternative staff to complete necessary
functions as identified in the disaster response plan. Call the first UNDMT meeting and make a schedule for
subsequent meetings. Meet briefly with all staff, advise of the emergency situation and of next steps as well
as roles they can assume to support the response operation.

6. Conduct the first UNDMT meeting in order to advise actions taken, share information on action plan
implementation, clarify roles, address immediate priorities and concerns for each cluster/agency, allocate
resources as necessary and available, and prepare press briefings. Make a plan for regular cluster meetings
and invite representatives from the Government, sectoral working groups and NGOs.

7. Contact the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, senior donor representatives, NGOs and other key responders.
Ascertain immediate emergency situation and known issues/needs.

8. Re-contact UN Headquarters, OCHA and UNSECOORD. Confirm disaster response plan initiated, advise
24
 Emergency Management Systems

of immediate situation based on knowledge as above, including initial damage and needs assessment and
concerns as known. Provide information on the general status of staff and the UN offices.

9. Re-contact government officials and obtain update on current situation and known hazards, most severely
affected areas (airport, roads, bridges, communications infrastructure, hospitals), urgent needs and status of
disaster response implementation. Advise/inform of the UN position and any key needs such as logistical
support to conduct a rapid damage assessment.

10. Contact OCHA, appraise of emergency situation, request they co-ordinate with the donor community
outside Nepal and liase with all the UN Headquarters and UNSECOORD in order to design and implement
an international emergency relief operation.

11. Monitor the disaster response operation, maintain contact with the Government, donors, NGOs, UN
Headquarters, OCHA and UNSECOORD as necessary.

12. Ensure staff at the UN House and other congregation points are briefed in full; broadcast supportive
messages to wardens and others, to be relayed to all staff.

5.1.2 Heads of Agencies

The heads of agencies are the overall managers of their agency’s external UN emergency
preparedness efforts and disaster response operation. Apart from managing their agency-
specific roles and responsibilities, they must also support the collaborative UN emergency
preparedness and disaster response efforts. Within each agency, it is their duty to cover the
following areas of responsibility:

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY DURING AN EMERGENCY

1) Ensure the development, implementation and continuous updating of
UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan in
light of current developments and concerns.
2) Define and implement emergency related policies in collaboration
with UNDMT and agency headquarters.
3) Ensure the development, implementation and continuous updating of
agency-specific emergency preparedness and disaster response plans
as indicated in Part III of this disaster response preparedness plan.
4) Upgrade the disaster management capacity of all staff involved in the
emergency planning process.
5) Maintain high levels of staff awareness and emergency prepared-
ness through regular referral to disaster management issues.
6) Define policies for media and information management and prepare
press releases.
7) Prepare formats for consolidated appeals considering form, contents
and time frames.
8) Ensure agency headquarters is aware of the UN collaboration and
intended focus for the response operation and have updated copies
of the disaster response preparedness plan.
9) To be continued.
1) Declare the situation an emergency in collaboration with the Desig-
nated Official and activate emergency procedures.
2) Establish situation with regard to staff status and safety. Report to
agency headquarters and regional offices.
3) Report the emergency immediately to agency headquarters and re-
gional office. The first report should provide available information
about the emergency situation, indicate next steps, advise what
assistance is urgently needed, define how to maintain contact, and
decide when next anticipated report is to be expected.
4) Monitor the performance of staff with respect to their assigned disas-
ter response roles. Pay special attention to stress and fatigue and
establish and maintain a work schedule.
5) Implement policies for media and information management and dis-
seminate press releases.
6) Write and submit consolidated appeals in collaboration with other
heads of agencies in order to ensure sectoral collaboration.
7) Manage technical and financial inputs relating to the disaster re-
sponse operation. Assign additional resources to support the opera-
tion as necessary and available.
8) Ensure regular meetings and flow of information to all staff regarding
the disaster response operation.
9) Follow up vigorously for immediate support from agency headquar-
ters, and ensure the Designated Official and UNDMT are constantly
updated on progress/bottlenecks.
10) To be continued. 25
 Emergency Management Systems

5.1.3 Heads of Clusters

The heads of clusters are the executive managers of the internal UN emergency preparedness
efforts and disaster response operation. Within each cluster, it is their duty to cover the
following areas of responsibility:

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY DURING AN EMERGENCY

1) Support the development, implementation and continuous updating
of UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency Disaster Response Preparedness Plan in
light of current developments and concerns.
2) Define and implement internal emergency related policies in collabo-
ration with UNDMT, recruit necessary human resources and estab-
lish work plans and schedules for a cluster-specific emergency op-
eration.
3) Ensure the development, implementation and continuous updating of
a cluster-specific action plan as indicated in Part II of this disaster
response preparedness plan.
4) Ensure regular flow of information to all cluster members regarding
internal emergency preparedness efforts.
5) Upgrade the disaster management capacity of all cluster members.
6) Identify immediate supplies and equipment requirements and ensure
they are procured and stored in appropriate locations, e.g. the UN
House, congregation points and with wardens.
7) Identify necessary supplies and equipment for an emergency opera-
tion as well as sourcing. Contact suppliers in advance with a list of
likely requirements so that they may, in turn, be prepared.
8) Request the Designated Official to forward a copy of the cluster-
specific action plan as well as all annexes/background papers of
equipment/supply needs to international partners, such as OCHA
and UN India. Ensure that additions/modifications to the plan are
regularly forwarded.
9) Ensure that the Designated Official is kept informed of current stand-
ing readiness, of the status of the cluster and of contingency plans for
absence of the cluster head.
10) Prepare and implement regular rehearsals of the anticipated disaster
scenario at Disaster Awareness Days and incorporate lessons learned
into a revised cluster-specific action plan.
11) Liase and rehearse with the Government and donor counterparts to
ensure awareness of existing emergency procedures and facilitate
full co-ordination at the time of implementing a disaster response.
12) To be continued.
1) Declare the situation an emergency in collaboration with the Desig-
nated Official and activate emergency procedures.
2) Establish situation with regard to cluster member status and report to
UNDMT. Maintain close contact with all cluster members, recognise
needs/concerns and address as best possible.
3) Monitor the performance of staff with respect to their assigned disas-
ter response roles. Pay special attention to stress and fatigue and
establish and maintain a work schedule.
4) Confirm all immediate supplies and equipment are in place and avail-
able, commence issuance.
5) Contact suppliers of pre-identified essential equipment required, or
notify the Designated Official of necessary external equipment re-
quired in order to involve OCHA or UN India.
6) Manage technical and financial inputs relating to the disaster re-
sponse operation. Assign additional resources to support the opera-
tion as necessary and available.
7) Ensure regular flow of information to all cluster members regarding the
disaster response operation.
8) Maintain regular contact with the Designated Official and UNDMT to
provide summaries of the current status of cluster activities, espe-
cially with regard to achievements or bottlenecks.
9) Meet with colleagues in UNDMT regularly to exchange information,
avoid duplication of efforts and ensure focus is maintained.
10) Review and revise as appropriate the implementation of the cluster-
specific action plan to fit specific circumstances.
11) To be continued.

5.2 Special Emergency Management Systems

5.2.1 UNSMT
UNSMT is the inter-agency body responsible for the security of all UN staff, particularly in
relation to complex emergencies and man-made disasters. UNSMT consists of heads of
agencies and senior staff. Depending on the type of emergency, UNSMT may or may not
play a crucial role in disaster response operations. However, UNSMT must meet in any
emergency, even if briefly, to assess security issues or concerns and feed these directly to the
Designated Official and UNDMT. Its responsibility is to:

26

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
1) Keep an updated database of the location and movement of all tem-
porary and permanent UN staff and their dependants in collaboration
with UNDP and the Warden Cluster.
2) Define and implement security related policies in collaboration with
the Designated Official and UNDMT.
3) Assign security roles and responsibilities to different UN agencies
and individuals.
4) Prepare a plan to ensure security of all UN staff, the Emergency
Operations Centre, the UN House and other UN offices which can be
maintained in the event of a disaster.
5) Prepare an evacuation plan for UN staff and their dependants.
6) Create a work schedule and roster of staff to cover security functions
at the main gate and elsewhere, rehearse roles and responsibilities
of staff regularly.
7) Liase with government officials to develop a plan for security support
if necessary, maintain an up-to-date list of contacts and rehearse the
support plan.
8) To be continued.
5.2.2 UNDMT
UNDMT is responsible for UN Nepal’s emergency preparedness efforts and disaster response
operation, particularly in relation to natural hazards. UNDMT consists of heads of agencies,
heads of clusters, emergency planners and staff with related responsibilities. Its duty is to
cover the following areas of responsibility:
BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
1) Develop, implement and continuously update UN Nepal’s Inter-Agency
Disaster Response Preparedness Plan in light of current develop-
ments and concerns.
2) Serve as the focal point within UN Nepal for all emergency related
matters, referring issues to appropriate bodies and individuals.
3) Advise the Designated Official and heads of agencies/clusters on all
emergency related matters, including monitoring of impending threats
and development of operational capacity/standing readiness.
4) Promote and support the design, implementation and evaluation of
emergency preparedness and disaster response programmes in all
agencies/clusters, including the preparation of donor proposals and
reports for emergency related activities.
5) Encourage awareness programmes and training drills at all levels of
the UN and make Disaster Awareness Days a regular activity.
6) Establish and equip the Emergency Operations Centre, create staff
roster to maintain 24-hour operation in a potential or real emergency.
7) Train sufficient staff, preferably 50% more than envisaged to allow for
missing core members, in the use of emergency equipment and sup-
port roles they must assume.
8) Liase with international agencies, donor communities, the Govern-
ment and civil society on all disaster management matters.
9) Ensure UN Nepal’s participation in national and international emer-
gency forums in order to exchange information and build up capacity.
10) Design and implement a major simulation exercise in collaboration
with OCHA, UN Headquarters, donors, the Government and NGOs.
11) Share this disaster response preparedness plan with international
partners such as OCHA and UN India, which are likely to be involved
in a disaster response operation.
12) To be continued.
Emergency Management Systems
DURING AN EMERGENCY
1) Declare security phase 1 to 5 in collaboration with the Designated
Official whenever needed.
2) Decide if, when and how the evacuation plan for UN staff should be
implemented.
3) Re-assign security roles and responsibilities to different UN agen-
cies and individuals.
4) Authorise the Warden Cluster to activate security procedures for pro-
tection of UN staff, the Emergency Operations Centre, the UN House
and other UN offices.
5) Implement a security roster; check whether sufficient human resources
are available as per the plan. If not, reinforce with additional available
staff.
6) In the event of a hostile security situation call for Government assist-
ance immediately, do not expose staff to unnecessary risk or danger.
7) In the event of no security concerns utilise excess resources to
support other clusters as appropriate and as identified by UNDMT.
8) To be continued.
DURING AN EMERGENCY
1) Immediately assemble at the Emergency Operations Centre and re-
port to the Designated Official and warden. If unable to move, advise
the Designated Official.
2) Staff and run the Emergency Operations Centre on a 24-hour basis.
3) Organise regular UNDMT meetings, which are the principal forum for
co-ordinating UN Nepal’s disaster response operation. Representa-
tives from the Government, sectoral working groups and others should
be encouraged to participate in order to ensure external co-ordination
and avoid duplication.
4) Immediately and regularly collect emergency related information from
government officials, civil society and the media. Pay more attention
to a needs assessment than a damage assessment.
5) Mobilise action and provide resources to ensure that survival and
basic needs of the most vulnerable groups are met.
6) Contact staff and consultants needed in the specific emergency ei-
ther directly or through headquarters, OCHA or UN India, giving prior-
ity to local and regional human resources.
7) Monitor the disaster response operation against specific goals and
objectives and recommend adjustments according to arising emer-
gency needs. Ensure agencies/clusters remain focussed.
8) Monitor the performance of staff with respect to their assigned disas-
ter response roles. Watch for fatigue and stress, ensure work sched-
ules and breaks are followed, and establish diffusion mechanisms
such as exercises, games and other distractions.
9) Ensure that personal concerns of team members are properly ad-
dressed.
10) Maintain objectivity, transparency, and democracy in co-ordination
meetings; ensure that information sharing continues. Pay special
attention to the sector working groups.
11) Liase closely with the Government, UN Headquarters, international
agencies, donor communities, sectoral working groups and civil society
on progress and bottlenecks. 27
12) To be continued.
 Emergency Management Systems

5.2.3 Clusters
The mutual responsibility of the eight inter-agency clusters is to ensure a co-ordinated emergency
planning process and disaster response operation among all UN agencies in Nepal. The
clusters are responsible for the internal and operational aspects of the disaster management
system, i.e. providing rescue and relief services to UN staff and their dependants. The action
plans of each cluster are included in Part II of this disaster response preparedness plan (in a
separate volume). For the sake of co-ordination, the general objective of each cluster is
indicated below:

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY DURING AN EMERGENCY

1) The responsibility of the Awareness & Training Cluster is to
assess training needs among all clusters and UN staff as well as to
design, implement and evaluate awareness programmes and training
drills.
2) The responsibility of the Warden Cluster is to appoint wardens
and deputy wardens and ensure the implementation of a security plan
in particular, predetermined zones covering Kathmandu/Nepal.
3) The responsibility of the Assessment Cluster is to ensure that
credible baseline data and standardised assessment protocols are
available in order to facilitate a timely, efficient and reliable assess-
ment of an emergency.
4) The responsibility of the Communications Cluster is to ensure
that appropriate communication devices are available and function-
ing in order to provide appropriate emergency communication serv-
ices in a timely and efficient manner.
5) The responsibility of the Logistics & Shelter Cluster is to
ensure that preliminary logistics equipment is available and function-
ing in order to provide appropriate logistics emergency services in a
timely and efficient manner. Provisions for emergency shelters should
be given special attention.
6) The responsibility of the Search & Rescue Cluster is to ensure
that preliminary search and rescue capacity and equipment is avail-
able in order to facilitate timely and efficient life saving operations.
7) The responsibility of the Health Cluster is to ensure that emer-
gency medical facilities and supplies are available and functioning
in order to provide timely and efficient medical emergency services.
1) The responsibility of the Awareness & Training Cluster is to
keep staff informed of the emergency situation and the disaster re-
sponse operation.
2) The responsibility of the Warden Cluster is to assist UNSMT in
the implementation of predetermined security procedures, including
evacuation if necessary.
3) The responsibility of the Assessment Cluster is to implement
a rapid assessment of the emergency, analyse the data and report the
findings to the Designated Official, UNDMT, and heads of agencies.
4) The responsibility of the Communications Cluster is to check
that all available communication systems are functioning and ready
for transmission and to provide appropriate emergency communica-
tion services in a timely and efficient manner.
5) The responsibility of the Logistics & Shelter Cluster is to
check that all available logistics equipment is functioning and ready
for use and to provide appropriate logistics emergency services in a
timely and efficient manner. Provisions for emergency shelters should
be given special attention.
6) The responsibility of the Search & Rescue Cluster is to
implement initial search & rescue operations in a timely and efficient
manner, as well as to co-ordinate external search & rescue opera-
tions.
7) The responsibility of the Health Cluster is to provide timely and
efficient medical emergency services and assess the general health
situation in order to prevent outbreaks of epidemics.

8) The responsibility of the Food & Water Cluster is to ensure that 8) The responsibility of the Food & Water Cluster is to collect,
UN families are informed and prepared regarding immediate and con- store and distribute food and water supplies in a timely and effective
tinued access to adequate food and water, sanitation and hygiene. manner.

5.2.4 Emergency Operations Centre

Constructed to rigorous earthquake-proof standards, the physical structure of UN Nepal’s
Emergency Operations Centre is seismically safe. The Centre is equipped with communication
and information management facilities that make it possible to control a disaster response
operation with minimal disruption to office functioning. The Emergency Operations Centre
will be run by UNDMT. Its role is as follows:

BEFORE AN EMERGENCY DURING AN EMERGENCY

1) The Centre serves as the UNDMT meeting room and as an office for
emergency officers in charge of key functions in the emergency plan-
ning process, such as regularly updating a list of the location of all UN
staff.
2) The centre will have satellite phone facilities, multiple regular phone
outlets, conference calling, and a fully equipped computer system
with pre-loaded and regularly updated databases containing all dis-
28 aster response preparedness plans.
1) The Centre will serve as an emergency operations centre from where
UN Nepal’s disaster response operation is implemented, co-ordinated
and monitored.
2) Even if the UN House is undamaged, the Centre will still remain the
emergency operations centre. Not only is it the safest location in
terms of aftershocks, it also facilitates contact between UNDMT
members.

3) Upon approval of agency heads, a 64 kbps project will be imple-
mented, providing an independent communications facility affording
guaranteed high-speed, low cost internet, telephone, fax and video
conferencing facilities.
4) An on-site generator will supply power and water. Large quantities of
fuel and basic supplies including food, tents, camp beds, sleeping
bags, medical and toiletry items will be stored at the centre.
5) To be continued.
5.2.5 Emergency Officers
At present, UNDP and WHO have staff allocated full time to emergency preparedness and
disaster management programmes. In addition, the Regional Office of UNICEF has one
emergency officer based in Kathmandu. It is their responsibility to:
BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
1) As members of the UNDMT, to assist with the equipment and staffing
of the Emergency Operations Centre
2) Act as the secretariat of the UN emergency planning process. Liase
regularly with all UN agencies and inter-agency clusters and make
sure all decisions are documented and brought forward to the UNDMT.
3) Collect, analyse and disseminate emergency related information within
respective areas of work, giving priority to anticipated hazards and
prediction/prevention of emergencies.
4) Recommend emergency related policies at all levels of UN Nepal and
during all steps of the emergency planning process.
5) Assist in creating disaster awareness among UN staff and counter-
parts in the Government and civil society.
6) Support national emergency preparedness activities.
7) Maintain close contact with OCHA, donors, concerned government
officials, NGOs and relevant international bodies.
8) To be continued.
5.2.6 UN Staff
Emergency preparedness and disaster response is the responsibility of all UN staff, not only
of emergency officers, agency heads, UNDMT, UNSMT and the Designated Official. Unless
subject to other instructions as a consequence of membership in one of the clusters, the
UNDMT or UNSMT, it is everyone’s responsibility to:
BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
1) Have prepared and ready UN Nepal’s Earthquake Survival Kits and
other necessary items as per personal requirements. Maintain mini-
emergency kits in the office and/or vehicle.
2) Have available sufficient food and water for all family members for a
minimum of three days, more if possible, particularly of water.
3) Ensure all family members are fully briefed on emergency proce-
dures, including evacuation routes, congregation points and lines of
communication. Rehearse emergency procedures on a regular basis.
4) Ensure all family members know the most earthquake-safe location
in the residence, and appropriate behaviour if not at home, including
‘triangle of life’ techniques.
Emergency Management Systems
3) To avoid overcrowding, the centre and its facilities will only be acces-
sible to the UNDMT and other necessary staff. The UNSMT will
authorise the Warden Cluster to implement its security procedures for
crowd management.
4) Work rosters will immediately be established to allow for 24-hour
staffing, involving 10 hours on duty and 7 off on a rotational basis for
the Designated Official and Deputy Designated Official. Other staff,
including cluster heads, will work in a similar routine always allowing
for overlap at the beginning and end of each shift.
5) To be continued.
DURING AN EMERGENCY
1) As members of the UNDMT, to assist with the equipment and staffing
of the Emergency Operations Centre
2) Analyse current data and information and compare with assessment/
evaluation reports to identify correlation of statistics/trends and dis-
crepancies/unusual developments in order to modify advice and plan
accordingly.
3) Provide the UNDMT and agency and cluster heads with advice and
information as necessary.
4) Maintain close contact with OCHA, donors, government officials, UN
India and NGOs.
5) To be continued.
DURING AN EMERGENCY
1) Remain calm and patient. Panicking will only worsen the situation
and add to stress levels and to the general atmosphere of uncertainty.
Do not try to escape from a building during an earthquake but utilise
‘triangle of life’ techniques.
2) Collect UN Nepal’s Earthquake Survival Kits and other necessary
items as per personal requirements.
3) Secure the premises by turning off water, gas and electricity. If you
leave your house, leave a note attached to the door advising of your
state and intended destination so that the warden is aware of your
situation.
4) Try to assemble or locate all immediate family members at the pre-
arranged congregation point.
29
 Emergency Management Systems

5) Maintain regular contact with the warden, always immediately advis-
ing of changes of personal circumstances, family members or ad-
dress.
6) Utilise the warden to objectively assess the current level of emer-
gency preparedness, including household preparedness and dam-
age mitigation techniques.
7) To be continued.
5) Accurately notify the warden of your family situation and await further
instructions.
6) Use water and other supplies sparingly and be prepared for discomfort
and possibly over-crowding for a few days.
7) If you have major concerns about relatives or medical issues advise
the warden or location supervisor and they will try to address your
needs as soon as possible.
8) Watch for colleagues, neighbours and friends showing signs of stress,
e.g. in the form of unusual, erratic behaviour or total quietness and
withdrawal. Advise medical authorities immediately if signs are no-
ticed.
9) To be continued.

Box 6: Advice on Post-disaster Behaviour

Do not attempt to assemble at an alternative congregation point unless you are advised to do so by your
warden. You will be expected at the appropriate location and failure to show up will cause concern. It may
even endanger the well-being of other staff by causing them to mount a search and rescue for you. In
addition, try to assemble only your immediate family at the pre-arranged congregation points: UN House,
UNICEF ROSA, UNHCR, ILO, IDRB or other locations advised by your warden. Only immediate family will
be allowed access to the congregation points as space and supplies are very limited. This point is not negotiable
under any circumstance.

If you wish and are able to offer assistance and support please do so, but only after taking advice and
instruction from the location supervisor. Do not undertake actions without consulting and being given clearance,
as it may cause confusion and duplication of efforts. If you are asked to assist in any way, please ensure you
focus on the task allocated. Do not get distracted or become involved in other activities unless instructed to
do so. If you are advised that your assistance is not currently needed please accept that position quietly and
patiently; requests for additional resources will soon be forthcoming from one or the other of the clusters.
Please do your best to comfort others and pay particular attention to the needs of children. To distract them
is critical because earthquakes can have very traumatic effects on children. Also be prepared for aftershocks
and remain as calm as possible through them. This will have a very positive effect on the more nervous
people and young children.

30
6. SUMMARY OF CO-
ORDINATION AND
PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS

UN Nepal recognises that the Government has the overall responsibility of implementing
and co-ordinating emergency preparedness and disaster response programmes covering the
whole of Nepal. The role of the international community is therefore subsidiary to that of the
Government. However, if requested to do so, the UN can choose to come forward in order
to strengthen the Government’s capacity for delivering an appropriate disaster response.

The following chapter summarises the existing mechanisms for ensuring co-ordination between
UN Nepal, the Government, donors and NGOs together with national disaster response
arrangements.

6.1 Ministry of Home Affairs

The Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal agency for natural hazard management in Nepal. It
formulates and implements emergency preparedness and disaster management policies. It
also carries out immediate rescue and relief in the event of disasters through the Department
of Narcotics Control & Disaster Management and in collaboration with district offices in all
75 districts of Nepal. The Department of Narcotics Control & Disaster Management began
its functions on 16 February 2001. The main function of the department is to actively and
efficiently co-ordinate and carry out emergency preparedness and disaster management
activities with concerned agencies. At the district level, the Chief District Officer acts as the
emergency manager in times of disaster.

The Royal Nepal Army and Nepal Police play important roles in rescue operations. Police
officials collect first-hand information of the event and inform concerned officials. In the
event of a catastrophic disaster, Nepal Police establishes command posts to facilitate rescue
operations. Moreover, Nepal Police collects most of the disaster data and information.

The Government has formulated a number of natural disaster preparedness plans, programmes
and acts over the last 20 years. Most prominent among them is the Natural Calamity (Relief)
Act, 1982. This Act defines the official disaster management system at central, regional,
district and local levels. The system is summarised in the following section.
31
 Summary of Co-ordination and Partnership Arrangements

6.2 Disaster Relief Committees

The Central Disaster Relief Committee (CDRC) is the apex body of the disaster response
system in Nepal. This committee, headed by the Minister of Home Affairs, consists of the
Minister of Health, the Minister of Physical Planning & Works, secretaries of other ministries,
representatives from the Royal Nepalese Army and the Nepal Police, the Director Generals
from the Department of Mines & Geology and from the Department of Hydrology &
Meteorology, as well as representatives from the Social Welfare Council, the Nepal Red
Cross Society and the Nepal Scouts. Following a disaster, CDRC meets as and when required
to address the needs of the affected population. The committee is also involved in co-
ordination of rehabilitation efforts.

At the district level, the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) is the active agency for
co-ordinating relief support. This committee, chaired by the Chief District Officer, consists of
representatives from public sector organisations such as the District Health Office, the Nepal
Red Cross Society and similar agencies. DDRC is responsible for co-ordinating the district-
level relief efforts including the provision of medical support and the distribution of food and
other essential supplies.

The Natural Calamity (Relief) Act, 1982 also accommodates the provision for the establishment
of regional and local disaster relief committees as and when required.

6.3 The Government and the International Community

This section outlines a plan for co-ordination between the Government and the international
community. The plan was discussed among the sectoral working groups several years ago.
The proposed plan calls for three distinct levels of support: by the UN System:

1) Donor co-ordination, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the sectoral
working groups, in order to ensure efficient and effective international assistance.

2) Technical support by skilled professionals who will provide assistance to various institutions
belonging to different sectors.

3) Grassroots field level support by project staff who will provide specific on-site assistance
and monitoring.

It is important to note that all of these activities will be carried out under the direct guidance
and supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs. One of the most important rationales for a
workable co-ordination mechanism between the international community and the Government
is that it allows the Government to channel international assistance in such a way that it will
be complementary to its own on-going activities.

There are three main areas of activity where the international community can support the
Government’s own disaster management efforts in order to improve the overall disaster
32 response. These areas of activity include:
 Summary of Co-ordination and Partnership Arrangements

1) Assessment of the extent of damage, the immediate and long-term needs of the affected
populations, and the necessary programmes and resources for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Upon request from the Government, the early fielding of assessment teams comprised of
government officials and members of the international community can help to strengthen
the confidence in rapid assessments upon which the requests for aid from the international
community are based.

2) Co-ordination of the international community’s response efforts in order to ensure that

such assistance is appropriate, focused and in accordance with the Government’s own priorities
and procedures for disaster management.

3) Monitoring of the response efforts upon the request of the Government. The international
community provided this assistance to the Government during the 1993 floods, which allowed
for an objective assessment of the relief efforts and helped to ensure an equitable distribution
of aid.

6.4 Three Sectoral Working Groups

In case of a disaster, it is important for donors and NGOs to immediately establish a mechanism
to co-ordinate their efforts amongst themselves and with the Government. Any delay in this
process is likely to reduce the effectiveness of the overall disaster response. Therefore, well
before a disaster occurs, it is essential for organisations that have a comparative advantage in
delivering and co-ordinating relief support to meet periodically in order to discuss potential
roles and strategies in response operations.

For that reason, in 1994 the Government requested the international community’s help to
re-focus the three sectoral working groups established during the flood response of 1993 in
order to prepare sectoral contingency plans for future disasters. The responsibility of the
sectoral working groups, which include representatives from the Government, the UN, donors
and NGOs, is to provide complementary support to the Government’s own on-going relief
efforts in the sectors of food & agriculture, health, and logistics.

In 1995 the sectoral working groups produced three manuals that were revised in 1999.
These manuals, intended to be rolling plans, have not yet been published. The meeting
schedules and activities of the Working Groups have been decreasing over the years. However,
at the end of 2000, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Department of Health
Services, Ministry of Health, and WHO decided to revitalise the Disaster Health Working
Group. The Disaster Health Working Group is currently preparing a health sector emergency
preparedness and disaster response plan in accordance with UN Nepal’s disaster response
preparedness plan. This is a promising initiative that responds to the necessity of a mutual
understanding and planning exercise among potential disaster responders. If all sectoral working
groups apply the same methodology, a major improvement in the current disaster management
system will be achieved.
33