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Summary

Nepal Disaster Report 2024 provides the picture of a Nepal that has shifted from a reaction‑only stance to a comprehensive “risk‑informed” approach. Mentioned in the DRRM Act (2017), a federal Constitution that assigns shared authority down to every municipality, and the National DRR Strategic Plan of Action (2018‑2030), Nepal has built a three‑tier governance architecture led by the NDRRMA. From July 2018 to July 2024 the Bipad portal logged 32,375 disaster events—fires, landslides, lightning, floods and earthquakes foremost—resulting in 2,996 deaths, NPR 23.6 billion in losses and heavy damage to housing and infrastructure. Yet the same period saw clear advances: real‑time multi‑hazard early‑warning systems, a nationwide EOC network, a 50,000‑strong volunteer registry, provincial humanitarian staging areas, and the reconstruction of over 700,000 earthquake‑damaged homes under “Build Back Better” and green‑resilient‑inclusive (GRID) principles. Risk financing is taking root through dedicated disaster funds and nascent insurance schemes, while localization, gender–equality–disability‑and‑social‑inclusion (GEDSI) measures, and private‑sector engagement are widening ownership of disaster risk management.

The report’s self‑assessment pointed: coordination gaps, limited SAR equipment, uneven local capacity and fragile risk‑financing mechanisms still hamper large‑scale response, and climate‑induced hazards are outpacing preparedness in the high Himalaya and the Terai. Looking ahead, Nepal commits to fully localizing its strategic plan; mainstreaming hazard data, land‑use regulation and social protection into development budgets; scaling anticipatory financing and insurance; institutionalizing research, training and technology such as AI‑supported impact forecasting; and strengthening South‑South cooperation. In short, Nepal is moving from “saving lives after the fact” to “safeguarding lives, assets and livelihoods before the next shock,” but sustained investment, inclusive governance and whole‑of‑society cooperation will determine whether the country meets its Sendai and SDG targets by 2030.