Nepal

• Causes

  On 25th April 2015, a 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal in Asia. The earthquake occured on a convergent collision plate boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The focus was only 8 km deep and the epicentre was just 60 km north-west from the Capital City, Kathmandu.

  The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing almost 20 people, the highest amount ever recorded from a single avalanche. This made April 25 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history. The earthquake triggered another avalanche in the Langtang Valley, where 250 people were killed.
• Aftermath

  Almost every day for the three weeks that followed, aftershocks were reported across the region. Almost one in three were a magnitude of five or higher.
• Infrastructure Impacts

  • Centuries old buildings were destroyed at the UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley, including some at the Changu Narayan Temple and the Dharahara Tower.
  • Thousands of houses were destroyed across many districts of the country.
• Social and Economic Impacts

  • 8,632 dead and 19,009 injured
  • Worst earthquake in Nepal in more than 80 years
  • Temperatures dip at night and people chose to sleep outside due to aftershocks and the possibility of homes collapsing
  • 1.7 million children had been made homeless
  • Harvests reduced or lost
  • Steep valleys of the area suffered many landslides, covering the village of Ghodatabela, killing 250 people
• Responses to reduce the impacts

  • International aid was provided by India and China, who in total commited over $1 billion to help support Nepal.
  • The UK offered help and support. Over 100 search and rescue responders, medical experts, and disaster and rescue experts were sent together with three helicopters for use by the Nepali Government.
  • Aid workers from charities such as the Red Cross came to help.
  • Temporary housing was provided, including "Tent city" in Kathmandu.
• Responses to built capacity to cope

  • A new government taskforce was created to help deal with future earthquakes.
  • Areas were zoned to assess damage.
  • People are now being educated across Nepal to do earthquake drills.
• Response to tackle the root cause

  The Government of Nepal is trying hard to reduce poverty so that people can build homes and structure which could withstand earthquakes.
• Long-term responses

  • The Asian Development Bank provided a $3 million grant to Nepal for immediate relief efforts, and up to $200 million for the first phase of rehabilitation.
  • Aid was donated by a huge number of countries. The UK gave $73 million, of which $23 million was donated by the government and the rest by the general public. The UK also provided 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid and 8 tonnes of equipment.
• Context - Wealth and Development

  GDP - 29.04 billion USD - 109 / 193

  HDI - 145 / 187