25th National Earthquake Day observed symbolically

Kathmandu, Jan 16: The 25th National Earthquake Safety Day was observed symbolically at the local Bhugol Park as the nation mourns the losses of lives in the Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara on Sunday. 

Earlier, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office had scheduled a special celebration of the Day at Bhugol Park today in the presence of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane. The Bhugol Park features the Earthquake Memorial Monument.  

According to Metropolis Spokesperson Nabin Manandhar, the celebration was just a symbolic. The government announced a public holiday for today to mourn the fatal aviation accident. 

Representatives from the Metropolis gathered to observe the Day in a symbolic way. 

Magh 2 each year in the Nepali calendar is observed as the National Earthquake Safety Day in commemoration of the 1990 BS (1934) historic earthquake in Nepal. 

Various programmes from the national to local level were scheduled for today to mark the Day. 

 According to the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) Nepal executive director Surya Narayan Shrestha, the Earthquake Main Celebrations Committee’s event was also postponed in the eleventh hour owing to the Sunday’s fatal air crash. 

The government planned to observe the Day with the theme of ‘Earthquake Safe Infrastructure, Basis of Safe Life’. 

Main Celebration Dissemination Committee Coordinator and director general of the Urban Development and Building Construction Department, Surendra Mohan Shrestha, said the postponed programmes will be organised within a week. The Day has been observed since 2055 BS. (RSS)