Page 78 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY

Earthquake Profi le of Nepal - 2015 these plates that has produced the Himalayan
mountains. When mountains are formed,
Date 25 April 2015 earthquakes accompany them.

Th e Eurasian Plate is big and immovable but
Time of origin 11:56:26 NST
the Indian Plate is constantly moving. Th e
Magnitude 7.8 Mw (moment Indian Plate constantly pushes the Eurasian
magnitude) Plate in the upward direction. Because of this,
energy gets accumulated under the surface
Depth 15.0 kilometres
of the Earth. Th is then causes the explosion
Epicentre 28.147°N 84.708°E of rocks due to the friction created between
them. Th e same explosion results in an
Type Th rust
earthquake at the surface of the Earth. Th is
was the reason the earthquake happened in
Areas aff ected Nepal, India, China,
Nepal.
Bangladesh

Total damage $10 billion (nearly 50% of Impact of Nepal Earthquake
GDP)
Th e earthquake of 2015 was the worst natural
Maximum IX (Violent) disaster to have hit the country. Several villages,
intensity towns and constructions were completely
damaged, and numerous lives were lost. Th e
Aft ershocks 7.3 Mw on 12 May at 12:51
urban area of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal,
6.7 Mw on 26 April at 12:54
was completely destroyed by the earthquake.
No. of aft ershocks (>=4 ML
Several concrete buildings collapsed.
or local magnitude) = 329

(as of 24 June 2015)

Casualties 8,856 dead in Nepal
(offi cially) and 9,017
in total
21,952 injured (offi cially)

Reasons Behind the Earthquake

Nepal is bordered by some of the highest and
youngest mountains of the Earth and hence, Houses destroyed in the earthquake, Kathmandu
it is prone to earthquakes. Nepal sits on the
boundary of two massive tectonic plates—the Residents ran out to the streets and other open
Indian and Eurasian plates. For the past 50 spaces, as clouds of dust rose and wide cracks
million years, these tectonic plates have been opened up on paved streets and the building
colliding against each other and as a result, walls. Some of the historic buildings that
India has moved several centimetres towards were destroyed have been briefl y discussed in
the northern direction. It is the collision of the following section.

76