Social capital in disaster risk management; a case study of social capital mobilization following the 1934 Kathmandu Valley earthquake in Nepal

A study on the Kathmandu Valley reveals that social capital—specifically bonding, bridging, and linking types—played a crucial role in disaster recovery following the 1934 earthquake. Survivors from Lalitpur demonstrated how close-knit community ties (bonding) provided immediate support, while broader networks (bridging and linking) facilitated long-term survival and neighborhood revitalization. The research suggests that integrating pre-disaster social capital into disaster planning could enhance response capacity, offering valuable insights for community-based disaster management strategies. This qualitative study used non-structured interviews and grounded theory to analyze survivor accounts, though memories from participants under ten at the time may have limited detail.

Bhakta Bhandari, R. (2014). Social capital in disaster risk management; a case study of social capital mobilization following the 1934 Kathmandu Valley earthquake in Nepal. Disaster Prevention and Management, 23(4), 314–328. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm-06-2013-0105