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Following the devastating 7.8 magnitude Gorkha Earthquake on April 25th 2015 and its aftershocks, approximately 2.3 million people were displaced. Individuals in urban and rural areas of Nepal sought different shelter options from spontaneous tent camps close to their homes, to scattered unofficial shelter areas to designated official shelter sites. Displaced communities in shelter camps in urban and rural areas were differentially vulnerable and used different means to check-in with each other or connect with government and relief agencies to request help.
A research team from the Center for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Technology (CEDIM, www.cedim.de) has been carrying out research activities in Nepal to examine shelter protection options and information needs following the devastating Nepal earthquake in a series of field investigations and surveys. In an initial field survey from June 6 – 20th 2015, CEDIM researchers carried out a household level survey of displaced populations to analyze the shelter response situation and decision factors influencing displaced households in seeking shelter and temporary housing. In a second three-week mission starting on November 11th 2015, CEDIM researcher, Mr. Trevor Girard, implemented a survey of 420 individuals to investigate the information seeking and communication behaviour of earthquake affected communities. While confirming the importance of social media to those with internet access, the survey revealed that individuals from rural areas and women in general have disproportionately lower access to the internet than those from urban areas and men, respectively. The findings provide evidence to support the use of local government officials and radio stations to communicate with individuals who lack internet access.