Nepal is marking its 17th Annual National Earthquake Safety Day (ESD) today (January 16, 2015.) The National Earthquake Safety Day is a day to raise awareness and share information and experiences on disaster/earthquake risk reduction. The ESD is actually the culmination of earthquake risk management works implemented in the country in the preceding 12 months, and thus allows taking stock of the achievements and shortcomings. The country is going to celebrate the Earthquake Safety Day this year with the main slogan: “Earthquake may strike any time, be ready and prepared every time” Raising awareness among people and authorities on impending earthquake risk and on ways to mitigating the risks is a key for reducing the risk. Realizing this, Nepal has been observing every year on 2nd day of the Nepali Month Magh as the Earthquake Safety Day with several earthquake awareness-raising activities since past 14 years. The day is observed in commemoration of the devastation caused by 1934 Nepal- Bihar earthquake that occurred on January 15, 1934.
