Deck 5b - Tectonics: Nepal Earthquake Flashcards
What year was the Nepal earthquake?
2015
What hazards were caused by the Nepal earthquake?
Ground shaking, landslides
What type of plate boundary is Nepal on and which tectonic plates are involved?
Destructive plate boundary- Indian and Eurasian plates
Why is Nepal prone to earthquakes?
(FREQUENCY)
There is partial subduction of the Indian plate under the Eurasian plate, however this is limited due to the buoyance of the plates. The Himalayas formed as part of this collision and are continuing to grow in height. As the collision continues plates become stuck and pressure builds up. Earthquakes are commonly experienced as a release of this pressure with major tremors occurring approximately every 70 years.
What magnitude was the Nepal earthquake and what depth did it occur at?
(MAGNITUDE)
7.8 MMS, shallow focus (8km)
What was the duration of the Nepalese earthquake?
(DURATION)
The earthquake lasted approximately 50 seconds.
What signs were there before the Nepal earthquake occured?
(PREDICTABILITY)
The earthquake occurred with no warning.
What area did the Nepal earthquake impact?
(AREAL EXTENT)
Severely impacted 14 districts including the capital city Kathmandu.
What was the GNI of Nepal during the earthquake?
(ECONOMIC vulnerability)
$3,090 (Nepal is one of Asia’s poorest countries)
What was the level of technology available in Nepal during the earthquake?
(ECONOMIC vulnerability)
Limited technology and lack of maps of the area
How educated were the Nepalese population about the risks of earthquakes prior to the Nepal earthquake?
(SOCIO-ECONOMIC vulnerability)
Nepal’s education system is poor particularly in rural public schools. In 2015 there was a 60.4% enrolment rate.
What was the population structure of Nepal before the earthquake?
(SOCIAL vulnerability)
-Youthful population (32% under 15 years)
-High population density in the capital city of Kathmandu (1,179,000 in 2015)
What time and date did the Nepal earthquake take place?
(SOCIAL vulnerability)
11:56am on the 25th April 2015
What was the infrastructure like in rural areas and how did this impact on the risk posed by the Nepal earthquake?
Very poor infrastructure across Nepal particularly in rural areas which meant that it was very difficult to reach the areas and provide aid.
What is the Nepalese government view on earthquake management?
(POLTICAL vulnerability)
Unstable government which is partially blamed on weak democratic institutions whilst others blame it corruption and the historical marginalisation of ethnic groups (called low castes) and women.
What are the economic impacts of the Nepal earthquake?
-Up to $10bn damages
-Around 50% of GDP lost
-Harvests lost
-Tourism severely affected as parts of the World Heritage Sites have been destroyed.
What are the social/demographic impacts of the Nepal earthquake?
-9,000 dead
-200 died in an aftershock close to Mount Everest, 21 of which were killed in an avalanche
-Thousands were made homeless
-Malnourishment in children increased and diseases such as typhus spread
-Survivors were preyed on by human traffickers and incidents of rape increased
What are the environmental impacts of the Nepal earthquake?
-Landslides and avalanches wiped out vast areas of ecosystem
-Water contamination
How prepared was Nepal for the earthquake?
-Disaster preparedness was poor in Nepal and individuals were not planned or prepared for the event
-Severe lack of investments in critical infrastructure like schools and hospitals
What was the response (short term) to the Nepal earthquake?
-Oxfam provided emergency aid including food, water, shelter to 500,000 people
-Emergency and shelter kits provided
-Inflatable hospitals provided by MSF
What was the recovery (long term) to the Nepal earthquake?
-‘Build back better’ provided people in Nepal with school buildings, roads and facilities to disaster-resilient standards
-Government in Nepal secured $4.1 billion in pledges at the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction
-17,000 farmers issued with rice seed to re-plant
What was the mitigation after the Nepal earthquake?
-Funding- $145 million to help provide jobs, healthcare and to
implement measures to mitigate future risk
-Building codes- Government and UN implemented new building codes to help mitigate future disasters
-Education- ‘Geohazards International’ launched campaign to raise awareness in the Kathmandu valley about potential hazards and
how to respond.
-Technology- remote sensing introduced to monitor hazards and provide early warning system.
