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The recent seismic events that struck Nepal caused the worst natural disaster in the Himalayan country’s recent history. They claimed 9,000 lives, affected one in three people and made one in ten homeless.  The 7.8 magnitude temblor on April 25 was followed by another measuring 7.3 on May 12. Aftershocks have extended well into June, triggering landslides in the country’s rugged terrain and keeping communities traumatised. 

What stands out is the enormous role of social media and disaster management programmes — in first guiding rescue and relief and then in reconstruction and rehabilitation.  By installing an open dashboard on its Aid Management Platform the government hopes to instil confidence among international and bilateral donors in forking out the seven billion dollars that reconstruction and rehabilitation will cost.

This SciDev.Net spotlight includes news reports, features and opinions that could inform policymakers, donors and recipients on the catastrophe as well as how the Nepalese people are picking themselves up and rebuilding their lives.