National Earthquake Safety Day

There was a great catastrophe in Nepal on this day in 1990 BS. The stories of that earthquake (Magh 2, 1990 BS) are not scripted and even the generations that have suffered and felt the earthquake have passed away. Many of us may have heard the stories of the 1990 earthquakes from grandparents, great-grandparents.

It happened in the '90s, nabbe saal ko vukampa ma yaso vayo became an immortal anecdote of terror in Nepali vernacular. And in fact, today may be the day of shraddha or tarpan for most Nepali families as many Nepali families have lost their loved ones in the 90's earthquake.

If we look at the periodic time of the earthquake, it is coming devastatingly in Nepal and the surrounding areas every 60 or 70 years.

Let me summarize the story of Nabbe saalko vukampa as narrated by my late grandmother, Goma Debi Acharya.

On that day, Magh 2, it was colder and grey than at any other time. Suddenly, the ground began to shake like a monster coming out of the ground. As I was a small girl, I was playing in the courtyard, suddenly my mother reached out to me and we hold a tree till the shaking stopped.

Most of the people were out of the house because of their household chores, melapaat, and cattle feeding work. Huge mortality happened because of the landslides, bigger rocks coming down of hills, and the walls falling from houses. Many died inside the house due to heavy mudslides and many of those injured in the quake continued to eat the mud without getting timely treatment.
Eating the mud means dying in Nepali traditional vernacular.

At that time, in 90 years, there were not as many hospitals and facilities as there are now, many died without getting treatment! Many of these rivers and streams changed their course due to the earthquake, some of the water sources dried up and some new sources overflowed. National Earthquake Safety Day is observed on Magh 2 every year to commemorate the natural atrocities and damages caused by the nabbe saalko vukampa that happened during the Rana rule.

Earthquake is a natural disaster and even if it cannot be prevented, one can protect oneself from the possible dangers. Earthquakes do not kill us, but when an earthquake strikes, our houses and infrastructures are destroyed and our lives are lost.

Many people have lost their lives in the 2072 BS earthquake and the wrong information and incorrectly built physical infrastructure are responsible for increasing the death toll. Because of impractical and less logical imported information, such as hiding under a table, hiding under a bed, and living indoors, many could not save themselves even when they had time to escape.

Information about time and situational earthquakes still needs to flow in Nepal. Many earthquake-focused studies on Nepal and physical infrastructure before 2072 BS gave tragic reports, but the development infrastructure and traditional construction style of Nepali who has been living on Hills and Mountains for hundreds of years is not so weak. It is necessary to control the plotting of large tracts of land and the cutting and clearing of hills.

It is necessary to rebuild the foundations and structures of the cultural heritage shaken by the earthquake. The Dharahara Tower, which was shattered by a 90-year-old earthquake, was reduced to dust in an instant by a 2072 Bs (2015 AD) earthquake.
Nepal is at risk of earthquakes, the main reason for the formation of mountain ranges is the movement of tectonic plates. The remains of Shaligram and other sea creatures found in Nepali mountain ranges have proved that there was an ocean in that place thousands of years ago.

It has been confirmed that there is the Tethys Sea in that place and the formation of a mountain range due to the movement of tectonic plates over thousands of years. Due to this geographical situation, Nepal has always been at risk of earthquakes.

Earthquake-safe society and infrastructure should be given as a gift to the coming generation. Continuation of safe construction and vigilance campaigns must be done. Stay safe, stay protected.

Suyog Dhakal