Nepal Earthquake

Question 1

Date of earthquake

Answer 1

25th of April 2015

Question 2

Location

Answer 2

Nepal
Asia
NE of Kathmandu

Question 3

Magnitude of the earthquake

Answer 3

7.8

Question 4

Depth of the focus

Answer 4

15km deep

Question 5

Is this a high or low risk for earthquakes

Answer 5

high
one of the most seismically hazard regions

Question 6

Factors that make the area vulnerable to earthquakes

Answer 6

It is an LIC - GNI less than $3000 per capita (economic)
Rapid population growth - high population density (social)
Buildings and population are of a poor quality - building codes not enforced , unsurfaced roads , power cuts (economic and political)
Kathmandu built on river sediments/unconsolidated material (physical)
Problem with curruption (political)

Question 7

Deaths

Answer 7

9000

Question 8

Homes destroyed or damaged

Answer 8

23,000

Question 9

What primary hazard caused most deaths

Answer 9

Collapsing of buildings

Question 10

What secondary hazards casued most deaths

Answer 10

Landslides - 5000 landslides , 200 died in the Langtang landslide
Avalanches - 20 killed at Mt Everest base camp

Question 11

Cost of damages

Answer 11

$5 billion

Question 12

What secondary impact was a big challenge in rural areas

Answer 12

Access to clean water

Question 13

What industry suffered short term loss

Answer 13

Tourism

Question 14

What industry suffered longer term loss

Answer 14

Agriculture

Question 15

What other places where impacted

Answer 15

78 killed in India
25 killed in China
20 HEP stations damaged

Question 16

What about the sediments beneath Kathmandu surprised scientists

Answer 16

It absorbed the energy instead of amplifying it

Question 17

What was the reason for there being less landslides then expected

Answer 17

The rock in the region where stronger than expected
Vegetation helped stabilise slopes

Question 18

Example of Nepal’s immediate response

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Examples of international aid

Answer 19

UN release $15 million for emergency relief
NGOs provided emergency supplies
Countries donated substantial aid

Question 20

Examples of expert help offered

Answer 20

UK sent 100 search and rescue responders and medical experts
UK sent Gurkhas from the army
Medicins San Frontiers helped evacuate people by helicopter
Oxfam provided training to carpenters , masons and women to construct termporary shelters

Question 21

Examples of how technology played a role

Answer 21

Scientist asked people to download the LastQuake app to help collect data on the earthquake
GIS tool of Crisis mapping was used to help coordinate responses

Question 22

How did international links and agencies help with reconstruction

Answer 22

Oxfam set up cash for work schemes
World Bank granted the Nepal government 200,000 rupees to give to 100,000 families to rebuild
Family members abroad set back remittances