Nepal earthquake Flashcards
How does the geography of Nepal make earthquakes worse?
Prehistoric lakes have filled with sediment leaving soft sediment hundreds of meters deep. In Kathmandu it is almost 600m. this makes earthquakes much worse.
When was the Gorkha earthquake and how strong was it?
The Gorkha earthquake occurred at 11:56 on the 25th April 2015. It measured 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale.
Hazards arising from the earthquake. (3 types)
landslides, avalanches (including on Everest) and ground shaking.
How many people where killed and injured?
8800 fatalities and 22,000 injured.
How far was the epicentre from Kathmandu?
90km.
How many homes where destroyed?
Around 470,000.
Why were there difficulties with getting aid to those who needed it most.
The people worst affected lived in the higher Himalayas and this meant that it was very hard to get aid to them.
One UNESCO world heritage site that was destroyed.
Dharahara tower which is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the Himalayas.
World bank estimate on the cost to the economy and why the economy suffered.
US$10 billion reduced off the economy partly due to the fact Everest was closed for the 2015 climbing season.
Effects of the earthquake on politics in Nepal.
The earthquake has reduced the chances of a peace deal and it has created more political unrest.
Reasons Nepals economy, infrastructure, politics and environment suffered.
They had very little money so couldn’t cope with the costs despite a US$200 million loan from the asian development bank.
