Understanding Disaster Risk and Local Response: A Study of Chhatrakot, Gulmi, Nepal

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides in Nepal continue to pose a significant threat to the lives of people in the rural hills and mountains. This study focuses on the vulnerability, preparedness, and mitigation measures of natural disasters among the inhabitants of Chhatrakot-4, Gulmi. The researchers adopted a mixed-methods research design by analyzing existing policies and field observations, and engaging local actors to generate findings on the general status of natural disasters, major causes, and mitigation measures in the area. It is found that Chhatrakot-4, Gulmi, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters due to poor infrastructure, ineffective early warning systems, insufficient disaster preparedness, lack of coordination among local agencies, and other human-related factors. This study recommends that community-based disaster management coupled with strengthening of institutional coordination, improvement in infrastructure, and community education should be prioritized in order to reduce the negative impacts of natural disasters. It was also found that active community participation and local initiative, as well as collaboration between government and non-governmental organizations, can lead to improved disaster preparedness and management capacity in the area. These results suggest that disaster risk reduction requires a comprehensive response that promotes community-based initiatives as well as effective coordination at the local institutional level. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction by providing policy recommendations for local government, development partners, and other stakeholders to consider.