Bhutan: Preparing for the worst earthquake before it hits eastern Himalayan region

The director general of disaster management department, Namgay Wangchuck, said scientists had predicted that an earthquake of magnitude 8 or even 9 plus was overdue in the eastern Himalayan region. “Maybe next year, maybe after 20 years, but definitely it’s going to come,” he told Business Bhutan. He added that building codes were introduced only in 1997, hence, houses built before are not seismically safe.

At the 'Reporting Disasters' workshop organized by Thomson Reuters Foundation and hosted by the Bhutan Media Institute in Thimphu, journalists also heard that the disaster management department has installed a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF)- early warning system in the Punakha-Wangdue valley, created GLOF danger zone maps and designated safe evacuation sites. Educational programmes are on the way, as “the main policy is to make people robust and make people resilient,” however," people should mitigate risks through insurance and preparation," said Mr Wangchuck.