ABSTRACT
Nepal, situated in the seismically active Himalayan collision zone, faces frequent and damaging earthquakes due to ongoing convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha Earthquake exposed major structural and geotechnical weaknesses, resulting in over 9,000 deaths. Despite updates to the National Building Code and post-disaster research, the 2023 Mw 5.7 Jajarkot Earthquake, damaging over 25,000 structures, revealed ongoing deficiencies in construction quality, hazard assessment, and code enforcement. This paper compares the seismic performance of infrastructure in both events and identifies institutional and technical gaps, particularly in western Nepal, which has not experienced a major quake since 1505 AD. The study argues that reactive reconstruction is insufficient. Instead, Nepal requires decentralized code enforcement, mandatory geotechnical assessments, urgent retrofitting of high-risk infrastructure, and sustained investment in local engineering capacity. These actions must be embedded within a regionally adapted, hazard-informed governance framework to reduce future earthquake risks.
