Global Hazrads - Hazardous tectonic event: Nepal 2015
Causes
Indian and Eurasian plate pushing together 20mm a year
A huge force builds up an enormous amount pressure
When the plate move suddenly, a centuries worth of built up strain was released
the shallow focus was 15km below the surface caused extremely strong shaking, VII on the Mercalli scale
The crust moved 3m in some places
The fault line ran right underneath the densely populated city of Kathmandu
1000km fault line
Effects of the Earth quake
Primary effects
500,000 houses destryed
12,000 school buildings ruined
70% of buildings destroyed in Gorkha region
Secondary effects
$10 billion in damage
3 millions left homeless
Responses
Short term
4000 military personnel from 18 countries flew to Nepal to help
10 tonnes of blankets delivered
50 tonnes of water, 22 tonnes of food, 2 tonnes of medical supplies
Food provided for 1,8 million
90% of Nepal army deployed to help
Long term
British government pledged £33 million to Nepal
People were educated on earthquake response
Factfile
Tremor lasted 1 minute
April 25th, Saturday 11:56
Magnitude 7.8, aftershock 7.3
20 billion economy based on tourism
25.2% below the poverty line
Nepal has a population of 1.183 million
future needs
Close monitoring of fault lines
Careful construction of buildings, one storey
Education about earthquake response
VII on mercalle scale (severe)
'Cash for work' projects set up to pay people for rebuilding projects
Tourism declined massively
9000 deaths
22,000 injured
547 landslides