Building Back Better After the 2015 Nepal Earthquake: Laying the Foundation for Resilience

This book explores the reconstruction after the 2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake, based on the author's first-hand experience and empirical evidence. It assesses the policy level decisions, damage assessment surveys, housing grant payment through the banking system, and lessons from resilient resettlements. The last three chapters capture the macro level picture of reconstruction and recovery endeavors, including the contribution to the national economy, structural resilience, and comparative overview of Nepal's delivery in the global context.

Format: Hardback
Length: 194 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2022
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This book delves into the reconstruction efforts following the devastating 2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake, based on the author's firsthand experience and empirical evidence. Unlike other advocacy and academic literature, it takes readers directly to the ground, showcasing the activities and challenges faced during the reconstruction process. The book explores Nepal's efforts to rebuild private housing, from the initial preparatory stages to the final completion. It assesses the policy-level decisions and their consequences, examining the relevance, utility, and future applications of damage assessment surveys conducted in the country. Additionally, it delves into lessons learned from the housing grant payment system through the banking system, the reasons for housing non-compliance to building standards, experiments with resilient resettlements, and the ongoing issue of urban regeneration.

The ground realities revealed that the aid architecture requires further refinement. The last three chapters provide a macro-level perspective on the reconstruction and recovery endeavors, encompassing the contribution to the national economy, structural resilience, and a comparative overview of Nepal's delivery in the global context.

Dr. Shrestha, with his extensive involvement in the earthquake response, is a trusted authority on the state and society's response to the disaster. His study holds significant implications for national and global disaster management, offering valuable insights and strategies for handling inescapable natural calamities.

Kanak M. Dixit, a journalist and heritage conservationist, praises Dr. Shrestha's book for its rare insight and perspective on the reconstruction issues. She believes that his work will have a profound impact on understanding and addressing the challenges associated with natural disasters at both national and global levels.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811966750
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022