Department of Local Governance & Disaster Management

25/03/2026

The Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM), in collaboration with the Trashigang Dzongkhag Disaster Management Unit, conducted three-day programme on Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) and Community Action for Disaster Response (CADRE) in Merak Gewog from 23-25 March 2026.
The programme was formally inaugurated by the Dasho Dzongdag of Trashigang Dzongkhag, who highlighted the importance of strengthening community preparedness and resilience in disaster-prone areas.
The training aims to enhance the capacity of local communities through key components including first aid, fire safety training, formation of Community Response Teams (CRT), community hazard mapping and the development of clear roles and responsibilities for CRT members. Participants has also developed a comprehensive Community Response Plan tailored to local risks and needs. The program is coordinated and facilitated with funding support from the Royal Government of Bhutan.

13/03/2026

The Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM), Ministry of Home Affairs conducted a three-day Training of Facilitators on Simulation Exercises (SIMEX) from 11-13 March 2026 in Phuentsholing, Chhukha Dzongkhag.
The training brought together Dzongkhag Disaster Management Officers and Dungkhag & Thromde Disaster Management Focals to strengthen their capacity to plan, facilitate, and evaluate simulation exercises for improved disaster preparedness and response. Participants learned key concepts of SIMEX, including exercise planning, facilitation techniques, and After-Action Reviews, and also took part in a table-top simulation exercise to gain practical experience.
The initiative is expected to enhance the capacity of local officials to conduct simulation exercises in their respective Dzongkhags/Dungkhags/Thromdes.

11/03/2026

The Disaster Preparedness and Response Division (DPRD), Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM), Ministry of Home Affairs successfully conducted a Standard First Aid Training for Desuups in Phuentsholing, Chhukha Dzongkhag from 9-10 March 2026. A total of 15 Desuups from Paro, Thimphu, Haa, Chhukha, and Samtse Dzongkhags, participated in the training aimed at strengthening the capacity of community-based responders. As community first responders, Desuups play a crucial role during emergencies. Strengthening their first aid skills helps improve immediate response during disasters and contributes to reducing loss of life and injuries. The training was facilitated by trainers from the Bhutan Red Cross Society (BRCS) and included first aid theory sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on practical exercises. Participants also engaged in presentations and practical demonstrations, allowing them to showcase their understanding of first aid techniques and emergency response procedures. A competency assessment was conducted to evaluate the participants’ learning outcomes and certificates were issued based on the assessment report. Bhutan Red Cross Society

25/02/2026

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25/02/2026

The Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM) successfully conducted a Tabletop Simulation Exercise for the Thimphu Earthquake Contingency Plan on 16 February 2026, bringing together Hon’ble Ministers, Dashos, senior officials, development partners, and representatives from key agencies.
Bhutan lies in a seismically active region, and a major earthquake is not a question of if, but when. As the nation’s administrative and economic hub, strengthening preparedness in Thimphu is critical to ensuring national resilience.
The exercise served as an important platform to test coordination mechanisms, clarify roles and responsibilities, and identify gaps in our response systems. The lessons learned will inform a forthcoming full-scale simulation exercise and guide similar preparedness efforts across other Dzongkhags.
DLGDM extends its sincere appreciation to all stakeholders and to the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for their valuable technical support.
Together, we reaffirm our commitment to building a safer and more resilient Thimphu and Bhutan.

25/11/2025

The Director General of the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs is attending the 9th Session of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and the 5th Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Disaster Resilience Week, held from 25–28 November 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. The session is convened under the theme “A Heat-Resilient Future: Digital Solutions for Early Warning and Action,” and serves as an important platform bringing together governments, UN agencies, and private-sector partners to explore how digital tools and data ecosystems are transforming the region’s capacity to understand and manage heat-related risks.
A key highlight of the event is the launch of the third-generation Risk and Resilience Portal (RRP 3.0) developed by the ESCAP—an innovative regional digital public good that integrates climate projections, hazard analytics, and early warning intelligence into a single, comprehensive, and user-friendly platform.
During the conference, the Director General participated in a high-level panel discussion and delivered a statement on “Bhutan’s Key Digital Resilience Challenges and the most Promising Opportunities to Use Data and AI for Climate and Disaster Risks.” In his intervention, he underscored Bhutan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen multi-hazard resilience, the need for enhanced data-driven decision-making, and the importance of leveraging emerging technologies to safeguard communities from the worsening impacts of climate change.
In addition to the keynote session, the Director General is also participating in and addressing several side events focused on advancing disaster risk management through the application of innovative technologies, enhanced early warning systems, and improved regional cooperation for climate resilience.

03/11/2025

The Sakteng Dungkhag successfully conducted a three-day Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) from 27th to 29th October 2025 to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacity at the local level.
Organised by the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM) in collaboration with the Dungkhag Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), the exercise aimed to familiarise participants with the Incident Command System (ICS), validate the Dungkhag Disaster Management and Contingency Plan (DMCP), and identify gaps in coordination, communication, and resource mobilisation during emergencies.
The exercise featured tabletop sessions and full-scale drills involving participants from all responding agencies, including the Royal Bhutan Police, Primary Health Centre, schools, Dratshang, Local Government representatives, Desuung and Sakteng Dungkhag Administration.
On 29th October, a community sensitisation program was also conducted to raise awareness among the people of Sakteng on disaster preparedness, safety measures, and community-based response actions. The session provided an important platform to strengthen community understanding and participation in disaster management.
A heartfelt thank you to Sakteng Dungkhag, the DLGDM team, and all participating agencies for their support and active involvement in making the SIMEX a success!

25/10/2025

A meeting of Dzongkhag Tshogdu Thrizins was conducted at Laya from 21-24 October 2025 on the sideline of the Royal Highland Festival (RHF) as directed by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan, who met the Thrizins and informed them that the meeting had been directed to be conducted at Laya coinciding with the RHF so that they could witness the festival with their own eyes and explore similar opportunities in their own Dzongkhags, Gewogs or village. Thrizins were urged to at least promote one village each in their respective Dzongkhag, such as Khoma in Lhuentse and Bumdeyling in Trashiyangtse.

The meeting presented and discussed very important matters, such as the need for mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the local plans and budgets, significance of community participation in the local decision-making processes through community engagement platforms (CEP), and need for local area potential based economic development (LAPBED), urging the Thrizins to explore unique local potentials and opportunities for socio-economic development, going beyond the regular plans for farm roads, irrigation canals, and community lhakhangs. Thrizins were also briefed and updated on the issues of Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP) and the way forward in the interest of the nation-building, besides economic development.

The Thrizins were overjoyed attending the meeting and witnessing RHF at Laya, saying it was their life-time opportunity. They expressed their heart-felt gratitude for the farsighted leadership and management of logistics at formidable heights at a paradise-like highland meadow, located at 4500 m, surrounded by breath-taking snow-capped mountains.

25/10/2025

The Nganglam Drungkhag successfully conducted a three-day Simulation Exercise (SIMEX) from 21st to 23rd October 2025 to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacity at the local level.
Organised by the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management in collaboration with the Dungkhag Disaster Management Committee, the exercise aimed to familiarise the participants with the Incident Command System (ICS), validate the Dungkhag Disaster Management and Contingency Plan (DMCP), and identify gaps in coordination, communication, and resource mobilisation during emergencies.
The exercise featured tabletop sessions and full-scale drills involving participants from all responding agencies in the Dungkhag.
The program highlighted effective teamwork, timely and well-coordinated evacuation drills, while also identifying areas for improvement in communication, coordination, and resource mobilisation.
The valuable lessons learned will contribute to enhancing the Drungkhag Disaster Management and Contingency Plan (DMCP), ensuring Nganglam Dungkhag remains better prepared and resilient against future emergencies.
A heartfelt thank you to Nganglam Dungkhag and the participants for their support in making SIMEX a success!

16/10/2025

The Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM), in collaboration with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), Nepal, successfully concluded a 10-day expert mission from 7–16 October 2025 in Thimphu.

The mission began with a Technical Working Group meeting at DLGDM, which brought together over 45 officials from key ministries and agencies as focal representatives to discuss methodologies, coordination, and next steps for the Thimphu Earthquake Contingency Plan (TEQCP) and the upcoming earthquake simulation exercise.

Over the course of the visit, the expert teams met with and carried out technical consultations and field assessments involving: Thimphu Thromde, Department of Geology and Mines (DGM), National Statistics Bureau (NSB), and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT), including DoST and DoID;
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and the Ministry of Health; Bhutan Power Corporation, Bhutan Telecom, and Bhutan Food Corporation;
Selected schools, i.e., Rinchen Kuenphen Primary and Dechencholing Higher Secondary School, to review earthquake preparedness and evacuation sites.

The mission also included rapid visual assessments (RVA) of critical infrastructures such as bridges, water supply systems, and other essential facilities. A debriefing meeting was held at DLGDM on October 15, 2025, where the team presented key findings, identified information gaps, and outlined next steps.

DLGDM expresses its heartfelt appreciation to all partner agencies and institutions for their cooperation and valuable contributions. A special note of thanks to the CDRI and NSET expert teams for their technical guidance and continued collaboration in strengthening Bhutan’s disaster preparedness and resilience.

05/10/2025

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞
In the wee hours of 5 October 2025, the Amochu River experienced a sudden flood that affected several families residing in temporary Quarantine housing and Workforce Management Centre. The swift rise in water levels left many individuals stranded, prompting an immediate emergency response from local authorities.

Thanks to the quick and courageous efforts of local rescue teams, all affected families were safely evacuated. However, four workers from the Rigsar Construction Private Limited, who were positioned at the far end of the riverbank, were initially left stranded. During the early stages of the rescue operation, two individuals were reported missing; one believed to have been washed away and the other unaccounted for.

Local authorities quickly sought support from Druk Air Helicopter Services. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, the helicopter was unable to take off from Paro. The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) then coordinated with the Indian Army for urgent assistance.

In a prompt and commendable response, two helicopters from the Indian Army were deployed and arrived at the site around 12:55 PM. The helicopters successfully airlifted the three stranded individuals to the CST ground, from where they were transported to the hospital for medical care. In a positive turn of events, it was later confirmed that the two previously reported missing workers were also found alive and safe. Additionally, after a slight improvement in weather conditions, a Druk Air helicopter was able to take off from Paro and rescue one of the individuals earlier reported as washed away.

The Royal Government of Bhutan extends its heartfelt appreciation and deep gratitude to the Indian Army for their timely and life-saving assistance. We also commend the Royal Bhutan Army, Druk Air and all local responders who acted with bravery and selflessness, risking their own safety to ensure the well-being of others.

Disasters have also been reported in other dzongkhags. The Royal Government is closely coordinating with local authorities to ensure timely response efforts.

05/10/2025