Remembering 25 April 2015
On 25 April 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. Nearly 9,000 people lost their lives and over three million were displaced.
As we mark ten years since that devastating day, it’s also a moment for reflection: on how the world responded, on what we've learned, and on how we can prepare better for crises yet to come.
How mobility data supported the Nepal earthquake response
In December 2014, recognising Nepal's vulnerability to earthquakes, we established a collaboration with Ncell, Nepal's largest mobile operator, to prepare for potential disasters. This preparation allowed for rapid mobilisation when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck on 25 April 2015.
Despite pre-earthquake preparations not being fully completed, we were able to release the first comprehensive analyses of population displacement less than two weeks after the earthquake. These results were released as a report to the United Nations and a range of relief agencies. After adjusting for normal population movement patterns, which would have occurred in the absence of the earthquake, our analysis showed that an estimated additional 500,000 people had left Kathmandu two weeks after the earthquake, information that was previously unavailable and crucial for directing humanitarian aid.
This collaboration underscores the vital role of pre-established partnerships and data-sharing agreements in crisis situations. The trust and cooperation with Ncell exemplify how preparedness can significantly enhance the effectiveness of emergency responses.
Thanks to a pre-existing data pipeline, regulatory frameworks, and legal agreements already in place, we were able to activate our systems rapidly. Without that groundwork, the response would have been slower if even possible at all.
Why crisis preparedness matters
What we’ve learned is that emergency response starts long before disaster strikes: investment in crisis preparedness is essential.
While having the right tech and methods in place is important, data readiness is also about partnerships, and trust - and building these takes time. But when a crisis hits, the payoff is immediate.
None of this would have been possible without the trust and foresight of NCell who made the data accessible. Their willingness to act, and to let us support responsibly, made it possible to release critical insights when it mattered most.
— Linus Bengtsson, Flowminder’s Founder and Chair of the Board
Continuing the work
Since Nepal, we’ve deepened our investment in data analytics and ethical data use for crisis response. We’ve improved our tools and methods, expanded our partnerships with humanitarian organisations, and advocated for proactive agreements that make emergency data sharing easier, safer, and faster. We've also developed new methods which speed up data access and do not necessarily require a physical pipeline established at the operator’s premises for crisis response.
We remain committed to working alongside communities and humanitarian partners, before, during, and after disaster.