Disaster Vulnerability of Rural Areas after the 2015 Earthquake in Nepal

Abstract

Vulnerability describes susceptibility to harm, incapacity, and marginality in physical and social system. Developing countries are more vulnerable to natural disasters, primarily due to weak response strategies and inadequate institutional frameworks. This study evaluated the vulnerability of individuals, households, community (gaun) after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. We conducted questionnaire survey on 188 households of ward number 7, 8 and 9 in Betini Village Development Committee, one of the most affected areas by the Nepal earthquake 2015. We did group discussions with members in all 13 gauns of study area about the damaged situation and mutual aid actions at the time of earthquake happened. At the individual and households’ level, vulnerabilities were analysed by focusing on women and the elderly, ethnicity, head of household gender, and household economic conditions. As a result, it became clear that Dalits (members of lower caste based on traditional caste system) were vulnerable as an ethnic group. Also, in terms of the structure and damage of gauns, smaller gauns and those located on steep slopes were more vulnerable. There was mutual cooperation among the inhabitants of gauns to mitigate the damage, but economic factors also affected their vulnerability.