THE NEPAL EARTHQUAKE
The Gorkha Earthquake
ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE
The earthquake occurred on 25 April 2015 at 11:56 a.m.. The earthquake was initially reported as 7.5 Mw before it was quickly upgraded to 7.8 Mw. The second earthquake was somewhat less powerful at 6.6 Mw.
REASONS FOR THE EARTHQUAKE IN TERMS OF PLATE MOVEMENTS
Plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the Earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel. The catastrophic earthquake in Nepal occurred because of two converging tectonic plates: the India plate and the overriding Eurasia plate to the north. The temblor was caused by a sudden thrust, or release of built-up stress, along the major fault line where the Indian Plane, carrying India, is slowly diving underneath the Eurasian Plate.
The earthquake killed more than 8,600 in Nepal and injured more than twice as many.
Thousands of houses were destroyed across many districts of the country, with entire villages flattened, especially those near the epicenter.
About 90 percent of soldiers from the Nepalese Army were sent to the stricken areas in the aftermath of the earthquake under Operation Sankat Mochan , with volunteers mobilized from other parts of the country.
MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN UP BY PEOPLE WHEN CAUGHT IN A EARTHQUAKE WITH HIGH MAGNITUDE
- Do not panic, keep calm.
- Douse all fires.
- If the earthquake catches you indoors, stay indoors. Take cover under a sturdy piece of furniture. Stay away from glass, or loose hanging objects.
- If you are outside, move away from buildings, steep slopes and utility wires.
- If you are in a crowded place, do not rush for cover or to doorways.
- If you are in a moving vehicle, stop as quickly as safety permits, but stay in the vehicle until the shaking stops.
- If you are in a lift, get out of the lift as quickly as possible.
- If you are in a tunnel, move out of the tunnel to the open as quickly as safety permits.
RESCUE TEAM
Volunteers used crisis mapping to help plan emergency aid work. Public volunteers from around the world added details into online maps. Information was mapped from data input from social media, satellite pictures and drones of passable roads, collapsed houses, stranded, without shelter and starving people, who needed help, and from messages and contact details of people willing to help.