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April 11, 2012

Tremors were felt in Kathmandu and adjoining areas on Wednesday afternoon while a massive earthquake of 8.7 magnitude hit waters off westernmost Aceh province of Indonesia. read more

November 13, 2011:
A magnitude-5 earthquake hit northeastern part of Gorkha district at 5:45 am on Sunday. According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake had its epicentre in an area 50 km northeast of Gorkha district headquarters

more news items

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Introduction

A survey by KVERMP (Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project) in 2003/2004 warned that around 40.000 people might die and nearly 100.000 might suffer injury requiring hospital services when another earthquake measuring around 8.4 on the Richter scale (like the one in 1934) would hit the country.

The survey also estimated that six out of ten buildings would collapse. On top of that KVERMP also warns that 95 percent of water supply pipes might explode and 50 percent of bridges and 10 percent of roads could collapse in the valley.
In the face of such a calamity people would need prompt hospital services. But the major hospitals in Kathmandu are poorly built so most of them would be non-operational and the remaining ones will also see services disrupted.

Is Nepal prepared to face such a disaster?

The answer is NO. Read more

Most recent earthquakes in Nepal

Date, Year / Time

Location

Magnitude

April 18, 2012 / 04:59

Salyan

4.2

March 27, 2012 / 14:51

Karkigaun-Jajarkot

4.7

February 27, 2012 / 04:53

Bajhang-Darchula border

4.9

February 27, 2012 / 04:41

Bajhang-Darchula border

4.4

February 14, 2012 / 13:47

Taplejung

4.4

February 14, 2012 / 13:41

Taplejung/Sikkim border

4.5

February 5, 2012 / 20:06

Panchtar

4.0

January 24, 2012 / 04:07

Siraha

4.0

January 19, 2012 / 00:45

Humla

4.6

January 18, 2012 / 11:16

Siraha

4.5

January 11, 2012 / 08:59

Dailekh

4.2

December 30, 2011 / 02:10

Bajura

4.0

December 19, 2011 / 03:20

Taplejung

4.6

December 15, 2011 / 02:05

Taplejung

4.9

November 13, 2011 / 05:45

Gorkha district

5.0

October 1, 2011 / 10:11

Humla district, 20 km north of Simikot

4.7

September 18, 2011 / 18:25

Sikkim/Nepal border

6.9

August 22, 2011 / 20:36

Lahachowk, Kaski district

4.0

August 15, 2011 / 22:33

Bijulikot of Ramechhap

5.0

July 15, 2011/ 19:59

Sankhuwasava District

4.5

June 3, 2011

Kanchanjunga area, Taplejung

5.2

earthquakes in 2012 / 2011

   

Note: click on the location for a map of the area

Earthquake Nepal

 

Pond Kathmandu

Earthquake Nepal-news snippets:
 

April 11, 2012

Indonesia hit by strong earthquake, tremors also felt in Nepal.
Tremors were felt in Kathmandu and adjoining areas on Wednesday afternoon while a massive earthquake of 8.7 magnitude hit waters off westernmost Aceh province of Indonesia. read more.
 

Feb 27, 2012

Tremors felt in far-western Nepal

Two earthquakes have been recorded in the bordering area of the Far Western Region, this morning. According to the National Seismological Measurement Centre Lainchaur, the earthquakes – one with the magnitude of 4.4 Richter scale occurred at 4.41 am and another 4.9 Richter scale at 4.53 am on Monday. Read more.
 

Jan 16, 2012

PM Bhattarai: make earthquake resistant buildings

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, addressing a programme in the capital, directed government authorities to monitor ongoing construction work and strongly implement the building codes while providing permission for any construction work. “We do not need to wait for rules and regulations to work on preparedness for earthquake safety, so everyone should be aware and think about the future,” said Bhattarai. Read more.
 

Jan 16, 2012

earthquake risk reduction policies underway

Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said the government is committed to devising effective laws and policies for the reduction of earthquake risks.
It is a social crime to not make the hospital and school buildings earthquake-resistant, he said, directing the concerned bodies to make buildings by adhering to the building construction code of conduct. Read more.
 

Jan 16, 2012

14th earthquake security day observed

Various governmental and non-governmental programmes are being organised across the country on Monday, to mark the 14th National Earthquake Security day. Nepal has been observing January 16 as Earthquake Security Day every year from the year 2000 onwards in memory of the 1934 quake to underline the community’s role prior to and after the disaster. Read more.
 

Dec 15, 2011

Magnitude 4.9 quake hits Taplejung district

An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale was felt in parts of Taplejung district at 2:03 am Thursday. According to the National Seismological Center (NSC) of the Department of Mines and Geology, the epicenter of the tremor is believed to be near to the Mt Kanchanjunga, one of the highest mountains in the world. Read more.
 

Nov 13, 2011

Magnitude 5.0 quake hits Gorkha district

A magnitude-5 earthquake hit northeastern part of Gorkha district at 5:45 am on Sunday. According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake had its epicentre in an area 50 km northeast of Gorkha district headquarters. The tremor was felt in most parts of western Nepal and the Kathmandu valley. However, there were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the earthquake.
 

Oct 1, 2011

An earthquake measuring 4.7 in the Richter scale was felt in parts of Hulma district at 10:11 am Saturday morning. The epicenter of the quake has been reported to be 20-km north of Simikot. The tremors caused no human casualty or physical damage

Sept 21, 2011

Kathmandu tops earthquake risk list

With rescue work still under way in Nepal after last Sunday's deadly earthquake in the Himalayas, scientists have warned that the capital Kathmandu is a high-risk city unprepared for the next "Big One". Experts say Kathmandu is one of the most vulnerable cities in the world with an overdue earthquake predicted to kill tens of thousands of people and leave survivors cut off from international aid. British geologist Dave Petley described the latest tremor, which killed eight people in Nepal, as a "wake-up call" for the overcrowded capital, home to two million people and connected to the outside world by just three roads and one airport runway.

Read more
 

Sept 18, 2011

Strong earthquake hits Nepal and Sikkim:

- Biggest quake since '34 leaves destruction trail

- Tremor wreaks havoc in eastern Nepal

- Three killed‚ scores hurt in Kathmandu Valley

- 6.8 quake wreaks havoc in eastern Nepal

August 15, 2011

Magnitude 5.0 quake hits eastern Nepal

An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 on the Richter Scale hit eastern hilly districts with its epicentre in an Bijulikot village of Ramechhap district (Janakpur Zone) that borders Okhaldhunga. According to the National Seismological Centre in Lainchaur, the quake was recorded at 10:33 pm. Bijulikot, lies about 26 km south from Jiri of Dolakha district. The tremor was even felt in Kathmandu.
 

May 16, 2011

Quakes could rupture glacial lakes in the Himalayas

Glacial lakes in the Himalayas could pose a major hazard to population centres if they are ruptured by earthquakes, scientists say. The true risk to settlements and infrastructure downstream in the Hindu-Kush-Himalayas region is difficult to assess. But the Himalayan region is dotted with glacial lakes and is in a seismically active zone. Experts say that, on the basis of past records, a large quake in the region is overdue..  read more
 

January, 2011

"Not if, but when"

Ask not what your government can do for you in an earthquake,

ask what you can do for yourself

 Interesting article of Kunda Dixit is the Nepali Times: read more
 

More news items

 

 

More information:

geohaz.org - info about earthquake management

seismonepal.gov.np - information regarding recent quakes

 

Earthquake Nepal twitter - privacy - Nepal photos

19-04-2012