Deadly quake in Nepal prompts warnings to prepare for worse to come

Scientists say building regulations must be enforced and other safety measures taken

Officials in Nepal were still assessing the extent of the damage on Sunday from the earthquake that struck the country's west two nights earlier, leaving at least 150 people dead and thousands either homeless or afraid to sleep indoors.

But scientists are already renewing clear warnings that this Himalayan nation, which sits on the fault lines of two major tectonic plates, must do far more to survive such shocks and prepare for the gathering risk of a much bigger quake.

An earthquake in Nepal's east in 2015 killed nearly 9,000 people, and the toll of Friday's temblor, which was categorised as medium in intensity, suggested the country is a long way behind in its preparations.

"You cannot move the population; the entire country is seismic, the entire Nepal is seismic," said Mr Amod Mani Dixit, director of the National Society for Earthquake Technology in Kathmandu, the capital.

"But can we improve the building stock? The answer is: Yes, we can. And we have demonstrated in many parts of the world, including in Nepal, that we can."

Nepal, a poor nation of about 30 million people, is also suffering significantly from the effects of climate change, with melting glaciers causing flooding and affecting the availability of water for agriculture, among other issues.