Case Study: Nepal Earthquake

Question 1

When and where did the earthquake occur?

Answer 1

In the morning of 25th April 2015 NE of Kathmandu in Nepal

Question 2

What was the magnitude of the quake and the depth of the focus?

Answer 2

Main quake was 7.8 (an aftershock was 7.3)
Focus was very shallow (15km deep)

Question 3

Is this a high-risk area for earthquakes?

Answer 3

Very. One of the most seismically hazard regions.

Question 4

Outline at least four different factors that make the area particularly vulnerable to earthquakes – social, economic, physical, and political

Answer 4

• Economic: It is an LIC with a very low GNI - less than $3000 per capita
• Economic & Political : Building construction and infrastructure are of a poor quality e.g., building codes not enforced, unsurfaced roads, power cuts
• Political: The is a problem with corruption
• Social: An area of rapid population growth with high population density in Kathmandu valley
• Physical: Kathmandu is built on river sediments (unconsolidated material) – this amplifies seismic waves

Question 5

How many people died?

Answer 5

9,000

Question 6

How many were injured

Answer 6

23,000

Question 7

How many homes were damaged or destroyed in Nepal?

Answer 7

700,000

Question 8

What primary hazard caused most of the fatalities and where were most people killed?

Answer 8

Collapse of unreinforced buildings – in rural areas

Question 9

Which secondary hazards resulted in significant loss of life and injury? Give details.

Answer 9

Landslides – there were 5000 landslides, 200 died in the Langtang landslide alone

Avalanches – e.g., 19 killed at Mt. Everest base camp

Question 10

Economic cost of the Earthquake

Answer 10

Over $5billion in damages

Question 11

What secondary impact became a big challenge in rural areas?

Answer 11

Access to clean water – land shifts closed up existing water sources that communities relied upon

Question 12

Loss of tourism revenue was a short- term loss. Which employment sector suffered in the longer term?

Answer 12

Agriculture

Question 13

Impacts were felt beyond Nepal. Give details

Answer 13

78 killed in India and 25 in China
20 HEP stations in the region damaged

Question 14

What surprised scientists about the way the sediments beneath Kathmandu behaved in the earthquake? How was this beneficial?

Answer 14

The sediments absorbed the energy of the seismic waves rather than amplifying it as expected. This resulted in less damage to buildings in the city

Question 15

There were fewer landslides than expected? What were the possible reasons for this?

Answer 15

• The rock in the region was stronger than expected
• Vegetation on the slopes (including rhododendron
  forests) helped stabilise slopes

Question 16

Give an example of Nepal’s immediate response

Answer 16

• 90% of the country’s military forces were involved in search and rescue

Question 17

Give examples of international aid (relief)

Answer 17

• The United Nations release $15million for emergency relief and launched an appeal for more
• NGOs like UNICEF provided emergency supplies – water purification tablets, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, and nutrition supplies
• Counties including the UK donated substantial aid e.g., the UK gave over £70 million in total , 2/3s of which was donated from the public

Question 18

Give examples of expert help offered to aid relief and rehabilitation

Answer 18

• UK sent 100 search and rescue responders and medical experts
• UK sent Gurkhas from the British Army
• Médecins San Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) helped evacuate people by helicopter
• Oxfam provided training to carpenters, masons and women to construct temporary shelters

Question 19

Give examples of the role played by technology in the relief effort.

Answer 19

• Scientists from the USGS asked people to download the LastQuake app to help in the collection of valuable data on the earthquake – given the lack of formal monitoring stations in the region
• The GIS tool ‘Crisis mapping’ was used to help coordinate the response

Question 20

How did international links and agencies help with reconstruction?

Answer 20

• Oxfam set up ‘cash for work’ schemes – local people were paid for construction work e.g., repairing trails between villages in rural areas and laying new water pipes
• A World Bank grant allowed the government in Nepal to promise 200,000 rupees to 100,000 families to rebuild their homes
• Family members working abroad e.g., in Dubai, sent back valuable remittances

Question 21

Give evidence that the response effort was limited in its success

Answer 21

• So many people to leave Kathmandu immediately after the quake that the roads became blocked
• Winter survival kits promised by aid agencies didn’t arrive in time
• 3 months after the quake over 500,0000 people were ‘food insecure’
• World Bank money for families to rebuild homes stalled die to political gridlock with little getting through to families