Decade of resilience: Nepal commemorates devastating 2015 earthquake

Nepal, following a candlelight vigil on Friday, recounted the harrowing memory of the devastation a decade later as the Himalayan nation commemorated the disaster.

Standing below the replica of Dharahara Tower that fell down during the earthquake a decade ago, killing dozens, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli commemorated those killed in the natural disaster.

"At 11:56 AM, with epicentre at Barpak of Gorkha, a devastating earthquake had shaken the nation. It caused huge devastation, resulting in damage to property and lives. I would like to pay my tribute to those who lost their lives in that disaster," Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said, standing below the replica of the iconic tower.

The Dharahara, an iconic tower built first by Nepal's first Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa, was brought down by the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

PM Oli laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new Dharahara on December 28, 2019. Later, Raman Construction Company Limited was awarded the contract for its construction.

The new Dharahara was built in the same architectural style as the old one, but with a larger diameter. It stands 72 meters tall and has 22 storeys. According to official records, the earthquake damaged more than half a million homes and other structures.

As highlighted in the government's Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report, Nepal ranks as the 11th most earthquake-prone country globally. Since the disaster a decade ago, the reconstruction drive has been marred by irregularities and political intervention, with many of the reconstruction projects still in limbo.

The government, which initially had planned to preserve the remains of iconic Dharahara, is now wrapped in green curtains, with the remains covered by a tin roof.

"We have shown extraordinary reconstruction efforts at such times. At that time, for the search and rescue, relief distribution, our security agencies, various organisations, and locals themselves had shown resilience and were exceptional," Oli claimed.

A decade after the tragedy, the Himalayan Nation commemorated the disaster under the theme "Let's build safe infrastructure, let's stay safe from earthquakes." Locals and conservationists organised a candlelight vigil in Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lights were lit on the steps of the temple in memory of those killed in the disaster that struck the nation ten years ago.

"Ten years ago, the devastating earthquake caused severe damage to the structures of the nation's identity, Hanumandhoka (Kathmandu) Durbar Square and some were trapped beneath the rubble, and many others perished here. It is a collective commemoration for those who lost their lives across the nation in the Gorkha Earthquake; we gathered here to pray for the departed souls and their eternal peace, one decade since the tragedy," Ganapati Lal Shrestha, a local participant of the vigil, told ANI.

Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister also had participated in the candlelight vigil on the base of a replica of the Dharahara tower, where foreign dignitaries also paid homage to those who perished.