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Facts About The Nepal Earthquake 2015
The April 2015 Nepal earthquake is also known as the Gorkha earthquake. It occurred at 11:56 Nepal Standard Time on 25 April 2015, with a magnitude of 7.8Mwor 8.1Ms. Its epicenter was east of the Gorkha District at Barpak, and its hypocenter was at a depth of approximately 8.2 km (5.1 mi). It was the huge and worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. The ground motion recorded in the capital of Nepal was of low frequency, which, along with its occurrence at an hour where many people in rural areas were working outdoors, decreased the loss of property and human lives. Here are some more facts about the Nepal Earthquake 2015.
Baishakh12, 2072(April 2015) Nepal Earthquake Facts
| UTC time | 2015-04-25 06:11:25 |
|---|---|
| Local date | 25 April 2015 |
| Local time | 11:56:25 NST |
| Magnitude | 7.8 (Mw) or 8.1 |
| Depth | 8.2 km (5.1 mi) |
| Type | Thrust |
| Areas affected | |
| Total damage | $10 billion (about 50% of Nepal’s nominal GDP) |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
| Aftershocks | 7.3 Mw on 12 May at 12:50 6.7 Mw on 26 April at 12:54 459 aftershocks of 4 Mw and above as of 24 May 2016 |
| Casualties | 8,857 dead in Nepal and 8,964 in total 21,952 injured 3.5 million homeless |
Affects
| Country | Death | Injuries |
 Nepal |
8,857 | 22,304 |
- It killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000 people.
- The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing 21 people, making 25 April 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history.
- The earthquake triggered another huge avalanche in the Langtang valley, where 250 people were reported missing.
- Hundreds of thousands of Nepalese were made homeless across many districts of the country.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites were destroyed in the Kathmandu Valley, including some at the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Patan Durbar Square, the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the Changu Narayan Temple, the Boudhanath stupa and the Swayambhunath Stupa.
- Dharahara which was a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites was also destroyed. It was also called Bhimsen Tower, which was a nine-story and 61.88-meter-tall tower.
- Smaller settlements on the outskirts of Langtang were buried during the earthquake, such as Chyamki, Thangsyap, and Mundu. They were very famous for foreigners who come for trekking.
- The earthquake had significantly affected certain groups of people.
- According to a government survey, malnutrition in children was worsened considerably some 3 months after the quake.
12 May 2015 Earthquake Aftershock
A second major earthquake occurred on 12 May 2015 at 12:50 NST with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.3Mw 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Kodari. This earthquake occurred along the same fault as the original magnitude 7.8 earthquake of 25 April but further to the east. As such, it is considered to be an aftershock of 25 April quake. Tremors were also felt in northern parts of India including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and the other North-Indian States. At least 153 people died in Nepal as a result of the aftershock and about 2,500 were injured.
Aftershocks
A series of aftershocks began immediately after the mainshock, at intervals of 15–30 minutes, with one aftershock reaching 6.6Mw within 34 minutes of the initial quake. A major aftershock of magnitude 6.9 Mw occurred on 26 April 2015 in the same region at 12:54 NST (07:08 UTC), with an epicenter located about 17 km (11 mi) south of Kodari, Nepal. The aftershock caused a landslide on the Koshi Highway, which blocked the section of the road between Bhedetar and Mulghat.
Rescue and relief
- About 90% of soldiers from the Nepalese Army were sent to the stricken areas in the aftermath of the earthquake under Operation Sankat Mochan, with volunteers mobilized from other parts of the country.
- As of 1 May, international aid agencies like Médecins Sans Frontières and the Red Cross were able to start medically evacuating the critically wounded by helicopter from outlying areas, initially cut-off from the capital city, Kathmandu.
- India decided to donate $1 billion in cash and materials to Nepal.
- The International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction has been organized by the Nepalese government to raise funds for rebuilding the country.
- The sub-standard relief materials and inedible food were being sent to Nepal by many of the foreign aid agencies.
