“I still get shivers down my spine when I remember the day. It was a normal Saturday for me as a 10 year old playing cricket with my older brother (12), and my friends when the ground suddenly began to shake. Before I could comprehend what was happening, darkness surrounded me. I felt numb and that's all I remember,” said Arpan Bhattarai, a local resident of New Baneshwor.

He added, “When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed surrounded by panic. I soon realized the wall beside the alley where I was playing had collapsed on me and my brother. I was covered in blood, in pain, and the scars remain on our scalps and legs to this day..”

Even ten years later, the trauma of one of Nepal’s most devastating earthquakes remains vivid for many survivors like Bhattarai.

The immediate impact

On April 25, 2015, Nepal recorded an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale. The disaster caused the deaths of 9,000 people and injuring 22,309, leaving over eight million people affected. It destroyed 6,266 public buildings, 798,897 private residences as well as cultural heritage sites, road networks, hydropower projects, and water supply systems. As of November 2021, National Reconstruction Authority reported that 687,034 buildings have been reconstructed. 

A survey conducted in 2015, by the Department of Archaeology in Nepal indicated that 745 monuments in and around the Kathmandu Valley were damaged, with 133 fully collapsed and 97 partially collapsed. Among them, even the historic Dharahara tower crumbled down and resulted in economic losses of approximately USD nine billion. 

The earthquake also triggered huge avalanche in the Langtang valley and Mount Everest, killing about 250 and 20 people, respectively This made April 25, 2015, the deadliest day on the mountain in history. 

Even after a decade, Nepal and the people are still recovering from the pain and loss of lives and property. 

Relief efforts with international support

A total of 34 countries provided on-the-ground support during the disaster, with 17 of them even deploying military teams for immediate search and rescue operations. Around 70 countries contributed relief supplies and financial assistance.

The United Nations, international government bodies, volunteers, and hundreds of aid organizations came together to help. The United Nations, donors, international NGOs and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies quickly gathered resources and adjusted their plans to provide urgent support. 

A special relief appeal launched on April 29 that year aimed to support 2.8 million people. By September 2015, their efforts had reached 3.7 million people with various aids. Numerous smaller NGOs and private sector initiatives also made significant contributions to the relief efforts.  

In response to the Nepal earthquake, India and China provided over USD one billion in aid, while the U.K. sent search and rescue teams, medics, and disaster experts, along with three Chinook helicopters. Crisis mapping technology helped coordinate relief efforts, and charities like the Red Cross sent aid workers whereas many other countries including Japan, U.S., India and China also made significant contributions.

On the national side, many local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) used their extensive networks to provide information to the military and humanitarian actors. They deployed volunteers on foot, carrying supplies on their backs to the most remote areas, places helicopters and vehicles could not reach. 

The World Bank contributed substantially to Nepal’s post-earthquake recovery. It approved two credits totaling USD 300 million, including USD 228 million from its International Development Association (IDA). This support focused on housing reconstruction, disaster resilience, and institutional strengthening. Additionally, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) extended a USD 27.5 million loan for budget support, along with a USD three million grant and up to USD 200 million for rehabilitation. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) disbursed USD 49.7 million under its Rapid Credit Facility. 

A steady path to reforms

Following the earthquake, Nepal undertook significant policy reforms to strengthen disaster preparedness. Nepal established a government task force to prepare for future earthquakes, and earthquake drills were introduced across the country. A major milestone was the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2017, which replaced outdated laws and established a comprehensive legal framework for managing disaster risk. This laid the foundation for institutions like the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and disaster committees at all government levels.

The National Policy for Disaster Risk Reduction, introduced in 2018, complemented the Act by incorporating lessons from recent disasters. It emphasized early warning systems, local community engagement, and the use of both modern and traditional knowledge.

The 2018 policy emphasized the importance of early warning systems, community-based disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness planning. It promoted the expansion of multi-hazard early warning systems using technologies like GIS, remote sensing, and radar, combined with traditional knowledge. 

The silver lining of the disaster was that the local knowledge was recognized and even promoted during the reconstruction process. With multiple tier efforts, the local communities were placed at the center of disaster preparedness efforts, with a focus on utilizing indigenous skills and resources. Additionally, emergency response plans, business continuity strategies, and disaster management funds were mandated for all three levels of government to ensure timely and efficient disaster response.

Pathway to reconstruction 

The revised Nepal National Building Code NBC 105:2020 addressed earthquake-resistant construction. This updated code sets out the requirements for seismic analysis and design for all types of buildings and construction materials. 

Key considerations before constructing include ensuring structural simplicity, uniformity, and symmetry to avoid weak spots; selecting appropriate site and soil conditions, especially in soft or liquefiable soils; considering seismic zoning; and choosing suitable structural systems based on building type and height.

The new design measures focus on preventing collapse through performance-based criteria, load considerations, the material use as well as the floor and roof design as horizontal diaphragms.

Despite these improvements, the pace of reconstruction has been slow. Two years post-earthquake, only 28,000 homes (3.4% of those eligible) were rebuilt. By 2018, that figure rose to 113,000 (13.7%).

 

The reconstruction process in Nepal has faced many challenges but has made progress in key areas. Housing reconstruction has advanced well in rural areas with improved, earthquake-resistant homes, while urban areas like Kathmandu Valley have seen slower progress due to land and financial issues. Public infrastructure, such as schools, has been largely rebuilt using better materials, but hospital and government building reconstruction has been slower due to governance and bureaucratic delays. 

Heritage site restoration has involved both local and international collaboration, though integrating traditional materials with modern seismic safety remains difficult. Government buildings are also being rebuilt, with attention to overcoming governance and bureaucratic challenges. Heritage site restoration is another key area, with ongoing work in the Kathmandu Valley to restore and preserve cultural sites such as those in Patan, Bhaktapur, and Swayambhu. The Patan Durbar Square Restoration Project is a key focus, which seeks to restore historical sites while balancing traditional construction methods with modern seismic reinforcements. Additionally, community-based initiatives are supporting the preservation and restoration of smaller, community-centric heritage structures.

Nepal has come a long way since 2015. But the journey of recovery is ongoing, requiring sustained commitment, resources, and community resilience.