Frustrated by delays, Rukum West quake survivors ignore building codes

Facing harsh winter and with no aid, many survivors are rebuilding on their own with minimal resources.

Chandra Oli of Golchaur in ward 4 of Sanibheri Rural Municipality built a new house a year after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake destroyed his old house on November 3 last year. He used iron rods, cement and stones for the construction and believes his concrete house is strong enough to withstand future earthquakes. However, he is unaware about the building code that should be strictly followed to make the house truly earthquake-resistant.