This was an earthquake drill, where everyone seemed to know what they were doing.

After the siren stopped, the students filed out of the classroom, covering their heads using their bags and books. They gathered on the playground, where a group of trained students and teachers conducted a mock rescue operation which included finding the injured and trapped victims.

A school paramedic team is also on standby to treat minor injuries (seriously wounded are rushed to nearby hospital).

As schools are at high risk in the event of an earthquake, Urban Drinking Water and Sanitation Preparedness and the community-based Disaster Management Project have been engaging more than 60 schools in Kirtipur and Lalitpur in earthquake drills. Environment and Public Health Organisation and Lumanti have been conducting various activities to impart knowledge on earthquake risk management in schools.

This initiative has been supported by the UK government and Oxfam.

The project has launched awareness programmes and earthquake-related exercises, emergency placement plan and preparedness for drinking water, health, and sanitation, according Sobina Lama of Lumanti.

Prasanna Man Pradhan of Environment and Public Health Organisation said, “Schools can be used for emergency settlement after earthquakes, so it is our priority to make them risk- free.

Students implement disaster preparedness and management skills themselves and also teach their family members.”

There are more than 34,000 public and community schools in the country. Most of these schools are vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, and landslips. This puts more than 6.7 million students and 150, 000 teachers at direct risk.