How to build an earthquake go-bag for your Nepali home
A practical, room-by-room checklist for packing a 72-hour emergency go-bag (jhola) so your family can survive the first three days after an earthquake or disaster in Nepal.
Nepal sits on one of the most earthquake-prone fault lines in the world, where the Indian and Tibetan tectonic plates push together. The 2015 Gorkha earthquake reminded every family how fast normal life can stop: shops shut, water lines break, electricity and mobile networks fail, and help can take days to reach you.
A go-bag (an emergency jhola you keep ready by the door) is the single most useful thing you can prepare in an afternoon. The goal is simple: enough supplies for each person to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours, because that is roughly how long it can take rescue and relief to organise after a big quake.
This guide gives you a clear checklist, tells you how much water and food to pack, and shows you how to keep the bag cheap, light and ready. You do not need to buy expensive 'survival kits' — most items are already in your home.
Water and food: the first priority
Water is the item people underestimate most. Plan for about 3–4 litres per person per day for drinking and basic hygiene, and pack at least three days' worth if you can carry it. Store it in clean, sealed bottles and rotate them every few months so it stays fresh.
Because carrying nine or more litres per person is heavy, also pack a way to make found water safe: water purification tablets (chlorine/Aquatabs type) or a small filter, plus a metal pot you could boil water in. For food, choose items that need no cooking and last a long time.
- Sealed drinking water (3 days' supply) plus purification tablets or a filter
- Beaten rice (chiura), roasted soybeans (bhatmas), dalmoth, biscuits, peanuts
- Instant noodles and ready-to-eat packets (note: these need hot water)
- Dry fruits, jaggery (chaku/sakkhar) and glucose powder for quick energy
- A manual can opener if you pack any tinned food, and a small knife
Light, power and communication
After a big quake the electricity often goes off for days and mobile towers get overloaded. Battery and solar items become priceless. A power bank lets you keep one phone alive to receive messages and call for help.
Keep a small battery- or solar-powered radio so you can hear official updates from Radio Nepal and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) when the internet is down.
- LED torch and a head-torch, plus spare batteries (do not rely on candles indoors near gas)
- A fully charged power bank with the right charging cable
- Small battery or hand-crank/solar radio
- A loud whistle for each person, to signal rescuers if you are trapped
- A printed list of emergency and family phone numbers (Police 100, Ambulance 102, Fire 101)
First aid, medicines and hygiene
Injuries are common after a quake, and pharmacies may be shut or unreachable. A basic first-aid kit plus your family's regular medicines covers the most urgent needs. If anyone takes daily medication (for blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, heart conditions), keep at least a week's spare supply in the bag and check the expiry dates every few months.
- Antiseptic, bandages, gauze, cotton, surgical tape and a few pairs of gloves
- Painkillers (paracetamol), ORS (jeevan jal) sachets, antacid and any prescription medicines
- A spare pair of spectacles and a copy of any important prescriptions
- Soap, hand sanitiser, sanitary pads, toilet paper and a few face masks (dust after a quake is heavy)
- Sturdy gloves to move rubble and N95-type masks if you have them
Documents, money and warmth
If your house becomes unsafe, you may not be able to go back in. Keep copies of your most important documents in a waterproof zip-lock bag inside the go-bag, and store digital copies in your email or cloud so you can prove identity and claim relief later.
Cash matters because ATMs and digital payments (eSewa, Khalti, ConnectIPS) all depend on power and networks that may be down for days. Keep some small-denomination notes set aside only for emergencies.
- Photocopies of citizenship, passport, land/house papers, insurance and bank details
- Some cash in small notes (do not rely on cards or mobile wallets)
- A warm blanket or emergency foil blanket, and a change of warm clothes (Nepal nights get cold)
- A waterproof raincoat or plastic sheet, and sturdy closed shoes kept beside your bed
Where to keep the bag and how to maintain it
A go-bag only works if you can grab it in seconds. Keep it near your main exit door, not buried at the back of a cupboard. Tell every family member where it is, including children and elderly relatives. Many families keep a small bag in the home and a second one in the car or shop.
Set a reminder to check the bag twice a year (a good habit is to do it on the days you change the clocks or at Dashain and a six-month mark). Replace expired food, medicines and water, and update documents, phone numbers and clothing sizes as children grow.
Key takeaways
- ✓Pack enough for each person to survive at least 72 hours on their own.
- ✓Water is top priority: ~3–4 litres per person per day, plus purification tablets.
- ✓Keep cash in small notes — ATMs, eSewa and Khalti may not work after a quake.
- ✓Store copies of citizenship, land papers and prescriptions in a waterproof bag.
- ✓Keep the bag by the exit door and check/refresh it twice a year.
- ✓Most items are already in your home; a go-bag costs little to build.
Earthquake Go-Bag Checklist for Nepali Homes (What to Pack) — FAQ
How much water should I store for an earthquake?+
Plan for about 3–4 litres per person per day for drinking and basic hygiene, and store at least three days' worth. Because that is heavy to carry, also pack purification tablets or a filter and a pot so you can make found water safe.
What food is best for an emergency go-bag in Nepal?+
Choose foods that need no cooking and last a long time: chiura (beaten rice), roasted soybeans, dalmoth, biscuits, peanuts, dry fruits and jaggery. Instant noodles are fine as a backup but remember they need hot water.
Do I really need cash if I use eSewa or Khalti?+
Yes. Mobile wallets, ATMs and card machines all depend on electricity and mobile networks, which often fail for days after a major earthquake. Keep some small-denomination cash set aside only for emergencies.
How often should I update my go-bag?+
Check it at least twice a year. Replace expired water, food and medicines, update important phone numbers and documents, and swap children's clothes for the correct sizes as they grow.
Sources & data note
These guides explain widely-accepted SEO, AEO and GEO practice as documented by Google Search Central, schema.org and current industry research. Search and AI systems evolve continually — treat specific thresholds (e.g. Core Web Vitals targets) as current guidance and verify against the latest official documentation. Examples are tailored to Nepal's market.