Nepal Earthquake Impact on water resources, wildlife and biodiversity, landslides, built environment, health and safety.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL AND
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER:
A CASE STUDY OF EARTHQUAKE
IN NEPAL
Dr. Murali Gopal Ranjitkar
Mr. Saroj Upadhyay

2. THE 2015
EARTHQUAKE IN
NUMBERS
25 April 2015
(11: 56 AM)
7.8 Magnitude
Barpak, Gorakha
12 May 2015
(12:50 PM)
7.3 Magnitude
Chilankha, Dolakha
More than 9,000 people have lost their
lives and more than 23,000 are injured till
date. Aftershocks from these earthquakes
have continued till date.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPACTS OF EARTHQUAKE
• Water Resources
• Biodiversity and Forestry
• Landslides, Avalanches and GLOF
• Economy and built environment
• Health, safety and well being

4. 1. WATER RESOURCES
1.1 Disruption of services related to WASH
1.2 Damages to hydropower
1.3 Contamination of water bodies
1.4 Effects on Surfacewater
1.5 Impact on groundwater reservoirs

5. 1. WATER RESOURCES (CONT.)
1.1 DISRUPTION OF SERVICES RELATED TO WASH
• Thousands of people in displacement sites/temporary tents were
without basic water supply and sanitation services immediately
after the earthquake
• Destruction of water systems across 14 districts left around 1.1
million people without access to protected water sources
• 1,570 water supply systems sustained major damage while 3,663
were partially damaged and 220,000 toilets were rendered
unusable in the 14 most affected districts.
• It could cost US$ 100 million to restore the WASH sector to its pre-
earthquake status (UNICEF)

6. 1. WATER RESOURCES (CONT.)
1.2 DAMAGES TO HYDROPOWER
• The earthquake is reported to have damaged 14
hydropower projects resulting in 115 MW Hydropower
generation facilities being severely damages and 60 MW
partially damaged (NPC).
• Other under construction hydropower projects of 1000 MW
capacity were also affected.
• The overall energy sector sustained losses worth Rs18.75
billion.

7. 1. WATER RESOURCES (CONT.)
1.3 CONTAMINATION OF WATER BODIES
• Decaying bodies of the deceased humans and animals, their mass
cremation,, septic failure, and cross-contamination of the sewer
lines with the drinking water distribution systems could impact
surface and groundwater quality, thus increasing the risk of
water-borne illnesses post-earthquake.
• Toxic chemicals released from households and industries will be
soaked into the soil and will eventually end up in ground water or
rivers, contaminating drinking water sources of millions of
people.

8. 1. WATER RESOURCES
1.4 EFFECTS ON SURFACE WATER
• Springs and traditional stone spouts dried up in many places
where as new ones appeared at other places, resulting in severe
water shortage and also instigated conflicts between
communities.
• A large number of landslides triggered by the earthquake
resulted in the generating an estimated 19,118,538 m3 of
sediment, drastically increasing sediment loads in
downstream water courses.
• Increased sand, clay and slit particles may result in rising river
beds, sedimentation and flooding in flatter low-lying areas/
Terai and also adversely impact aquatic flora and fauna

9. 1. WATER RESOURCES (CONT.)
1.5 IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER RESERVOIRS
• Contamination of groundwater
• Ground water level retreated in many places and the ground water
recharge system was severely impacted
• Going on for a few years now due to haphazard urbanization
• Matatirtha, Chandragiri Municipality: water table dropped below 80
meters
• Dropping water table bringing unimaginable consequences: land
subsidence

10. 2. BIODIVERSITY AND FORESTRY
• 7 protected areas (PAs) were affected and most severely
affected were Langtang NP, Sagarmatha NP, Manaslu NP and
Gaurishankar CA.
• 2 Ramsar sites: Gosainkunda and Gokyo were also affected.
• Affected forest area in the seven PAs is 408.5 ha. Total forest
affected 23,375 ha and loss of NRs. 63.9 billion.
• Also there was considerable death of wildlife species, loss of
and damage to their habitat and other indirect impacts

11. 3. LANDSLIDES, AVALANCHES AND GLOF
• A total of 2,782 landslides was recorded
• Out of 31 affected districts, 14 suffered severe damages from
landslides and cracks resulting in loss of human life and properties,,
damage to agricultural land, infrastructure, irrigation system, drinking
water supply.
• An avalanche of ice and rocks killed about 200 local inhabitants and
tourists in Langtang village in Rasuwa district
• The moraine dams of the three largest and potentially dangerous
glacier lakes: Imja, Tsho Rolpa and Thulagi have been affected by the
earthquake, and now pose a much greater risk.

12. 4. ECONOMY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
• Total value of disaster effects from the April Earthquake is US $ 7 billion
Value of destroyed physical infrastructure and
Loss of opportunity
• 491,620 buildings fully damaged, 269,653 buildings partially
destroyed,
• 7,532 schools and 1,100 health facilities damaged
• More than 3.9 million tones debris accumulated which is
equivalent to 11 years of waste generated by the Valley

13. 5. HEALTH, SAFETY AND MENTAL WELLBEING
• The volume of paint and lead from damaged houses and
building could reach 3.176 million liters and 33 kilograms
in Kathmandu valley and 1.3 million liters and 116
kilograms in other 11 earthquake hit districts respectively
• Other hazardous wastes include battery and mercury
• Lack of proper protective measures and first aid for
demolition workers and supervisors
• Loss and damage of alternative energy resulted in increased use of
firewood from forests, with health risks from indoor air pollution
• Distress caused by severe loss, trauma, continuing danger

14. • Earthquakes have a huge impact
on human-health, environment
and infrastructure.
• Pre and post disaster strategy
should be formulated to abate
the impact of earthquake
CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD

15. CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD
• Slow recovery process at snails pace
• Schools, hospitals, water and sanitation
facilities should be prioritized for
reconstruction.
• Scientific studies into impacts on ecology
and environment
• Installation of early warning system for
landslides and GLOF

16. CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD
• Disaster events can generate large
quantities of debris and
management of such debris can
present a major challenge.
• Hazardous wastes can have
detrimental impact on environment
and human health
• Proper rules and regulation should
be developed to guarantee its
proper management.

17. THANK YOU