The April 2015 Nepal earthquake (also known as the Gorkha earthquake)[5][8] killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000. It occurred at on 25 April, with a magnitude of 7.8Mw[1] or 8.1Ms[9]and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of VIII (Severe). Its epicenter was east of Gorkha District at Barpak, Gorkha, and its hypocenterwas at a depth of approximately 8.2 km (5.1 mi).[1] It was the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake.[10][11][12] The ground motion recorded in Kathmandu valley was of low frequency which, along with its occurrence at an hour where many people in rural areas were working outdoors, decreased the loss of property and human life.[13]
The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing 21,[14] making April 25, 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history.[15] The earthquake triggered another huge avalanche in the Langtang valley, where 250 people were reported missing.[16][17]
Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless with entire villages flattened,[16][18][19] across many districts of the country. Centuries-old buildings were destroyed at UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley, including some at the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Patan Durbar Square, the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the Changu Narayan Temple, the Boudhanathstupa and the Swayambhunath Stupa. Geophysicists and other experts had warned for decades that Nepal was vulnerable to a deadly earthquake, particularly because of its geology, urbanization, and architecture.[20][21]
Continued aftershocks occurred throughout Nepal at the intervals of 15–20 minutes, with one shock reaching a magnitude of 6.7 on 26 April at NST.[4] The country also had a continued risk of landslides.[22]
A major aftershock occurred on 12 May 2015 at with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.3.[23] The epicenter was near the Chinese border between the capital of Kathmandu and Mt. Everest.[24] More than 200 people were killed and over 2,500 were injured by this aftershock and many homeless.[25]
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