Case Study: Earthquake - Nepal

• When


  25th April 2015, 11:56am
• Killed nearly 9000 (8623)
• Injured 23,000
• 7,000 schools were flattened
• Around ½ a million people were made homeless
• 8 million people (1/3 of population) were affected
• The landmark Dharahara tower collapsed and 60 bodies were found in the rubble
• Many ancient religious temples collapsed
• Trekking routes and World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu valley were badly damaged
• More females of all ages died due to being in their houses at the time of the earthquake
• Loss of family livestock – 17,000 cattle, 40,000 chickens
• In rural areas near the epicentre 90% of people lost their homes and livestock
• The earthquake caused an avalanche on Mt Everest
• Kathmandu valley used to have a huge lake that was infilled over time with 300m of clay which resulted in liquefaction in the earthquake
• 90% of tourist bookings were cancelled
• As a result, $600 million will be lost during 2015-2017
• Estimated that an extra 700,000 people will be pushed into poverty in 2015-16 and 50-70% of these will be from already vulnerable communities in mountainous regions
• Harvests reduced or lost completely
• Avalanches on Mt Everest killed 19 people at base camp, they injured and stranded many others
• An increase in violence and rape against women was reported
• 14 HEP stations were damaged causing a 25% reduction in electricity capacity
• Rebuilding costs estimated at $10bn
• Economic impact was 33% of GDP in 2013-14
• USA sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) of 128 people
• USAID gave $10 million for immediate help and later recovery
• UK sent an 8 person response team and $7.6 million
• WHO deployed specialist teams and health kits
• Nepalese government made an international appeal and released 500 million rupees for relief
• 16 open spaces around Kathmandu were used to construct Tarpaulin shelters
• Helicopters sent to rescue those stranded on Mt Everest and those in the hardest hit and remote areas
• Video cameras on long flexible poles detecting CO2 concentration helped locate survivors in the rubble
• Only a small section of the fault ruptured in 2015 so it is predicted another large earthquake is inevitable