Nepal Earthquake

• Nepal Earthquake 2015 A case study of an earthquake in a low income country (LIC)
• Nepal


  One of the poorest countries in the world, located between China and India in Asia along the Himalayan Mountains
• A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Nepal

  25th of April 2015
• Earthquake

  • Focus was only eight kilometres deep
  • Epicentre was just 60 kilometres northwest of Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal
• At the time of the earthquake, Kathmandu had 800,000+ inhabitants
• Kathmandu is popular with tourists planning to trek the Himalayas, home of Mount Everest
• Collision plate boundary

  The earthquake occurred on a collision plate boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates
• Impacts of the Nepal earthquake

  • Infrastructure damage
  • Social and economic impacts
  • Tourism impacts
• Infrastructure damage


  • Centuries-old buildings destroyed at UNESCO World Heritage Sites
  • Thousands of houses destroyed across many districts
• 8,632 dead and 19,009 injured
• It was the worst earthquake in Nepal in more than 80 years
• Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless, with entire villages flattened
• Harvests were reduced or lost that season
• Economic losses were estimated to be between 9% to 50% of GDP
• Tourism is a significant source of revenue in Nepal, and the earthquake led to a sharp drop in the number of visitors
• At least 17 people were killed by an avalanche at the Mount Everest Base Camp
• Many landslides occurred along steep valleys, with 250 people killed when the village of Ghodatabela was covered in material
• Primary effects of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal

  • 9,000 people died, 19,000 injured - over 8 million affected
  • 3 million people made homeless
  • Electricity, water, communications affected
  • 1.4 million needed water, food, shelter
  • 7,000 schools destroyed
  • Hospitals overwhelmed
  • Airport congested
  • 50% of shops destroyed, affecting supplies and livelihoods
  • Cost estimated at $5 billion
• Secondary effects of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal

  • Avalanches and landslides blocked relief efforts
  • 19 people lost lives on Mount Everest
  • 250 people missing in Langtang region
  • Kali Gandaki River blocked by landslide, risk of flooding
  • Tourism employment and income declined
  • Rice seed ruined, causing food shortage and income loss
• Immediate responses to the Nepal earthquake

  • India and China provided over $1 billion in aid
  • UK provided search and rescue, medics, helicopters
  • Crisis mapping used to coordinate response
  • Aid workers from charities like Red Cross
  • Temporary housing including 'Tent city' in Kathmandu
  • Search and rescue, water, medical support from China, UK, India
  • Half a million tents provided for homeless
  • Helicopters rescued people, delivered aid to cut-off villages
  • Field hospitals set up
  • 300,000 migrated from Kathmandu to seek shelter
• Long-term responses to the Nepal earthquake

  • $3 million grant from ADB for relief, $200 million for rehabilitation
  • £73 million donated by UK government and public
  • Landslides cleared, roads repaired
  • Lakes drained to avoid flooding
  • Stricter building codes introduced
  • Thousands rehoused, damaged homes repaired
  • Over 7,000 schools rebuilt
  • Everest base camp and trekking routes repaired
  • Border blockade cleared, allowing aid movement