April 2015 Nepal earthquake
The April 2015 Nepal earthquake (also known as the Gorkha earthquake)[8] killed more than 8,800 people and injured more than 23,000. It occurred at on 25 April. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8Mw.[9] Its epicenter was east of the district of Lamjung. Its hypocenter was at a depth of about 15 km (9.3 mi).[1] It was the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake.[10][11]
   Kathmandu | |
| UTC time | 2015-04-25 06:11:26 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 607208674 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 25 April 2015 |
| Local time | 11:56:26 NST[1] |
| Magnitude | 7.8 (Mw)[1] or 8.1 |
| Depth | 8.2 km (5.1 mi)[1] |
| Epicenter | 28°13′48″N 84°43′52″E / 28.230°N 84.731°E[1] |
| Type | Thrust[1] |
| Areas affected | |
| Total damage | $10 billion (about 50% of Nepal's nominal GDP)[2] |
| Max. intensity | X (Extreme)[1] |
| Aftershocks | 7.3 Mw on 12 May at 12:50[3] 6.7 Mw on 26 April at 12:54[4] 459 aftershocks of 4 Mw and above as of 24 May 2016[5] |
| Casualties | 8,857 dead in Nepal and 8,964 in total[6][7] 21,952 injured[6]3.5 million homeless[6] |
The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing at least 19 people.[12] This makes April 25, 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history.[13] The earthquake triggered another huge avalanche in the Langtang valley, where 250 people were reported missing.[14]
Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless with entire villages destroyed.[15] Centuries-old buildings were destroyed at UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley. Experts had warned for decades that Nepal was vulnerable to a deadly earthquake.[16]
Continued aftershocks occurred throughout Nepal within 15–20 minute intervals. One shock reached a magnitude of 6.7 on 26 April at NST. The country also had a continued risk of landslides.[17]
It created seven avalanches after. Many Nepalese counties were damaged by the quake.
References
