Home Page

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is quickly becoming a notorious hotspot for natural disasters. In addition to a serious threat of earthquake, the country is increasingly plagued with sinkholes, floods, landslides, and droughts. In April 2015, for example, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated the country by claiming more than 8,800 lives and damaging or destroying more than 900,000 homes. According to the 2008 Nepal Contingency Report, more than 1,000 people die annually because of natural disasters, and because secondary cities throughout the country are increasing in population density and subsequent poverty, these numbers have great potential to escalate.

In partnership with Colorado State University and the State Department’s Humanitarian Information Unit, this study utilizes a suite of GIS data to analyze and identify natural hazards, key infrastructure, and potential refugee evacuation and staging areas within the City of Pokhara, Nepal. The audience for this project is anyone interested in planning and development within the City of Pokhara, emergency response coordination, and planners at the U.S. Embassy located in Kathmandu. This information will also serve as a basis for further research, GIS analysis, and educational activities at CSU and elsewhere.