1.3.2

Gorkha Earthquake

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Causes and Impacts - Gorkha Earthquake

In April 2015, there was a severe earthquake in Nepal. This is an example of a disaster in a developing country.

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Causes

  • The earthquake was a magnitude 7.9 and happened 90 km north-east of Kathmandu, in the middle of the collision zone where the Indo-Australian plate meets the Eurasian plate.
  • The geological structure of valleys in Nepal increases the risk of earthquakes. Pre-historic lakes filled many of the valleys so the sediment is soft.
  • The depth of soft sediment reaches 600m deep in the Kathmandu valley. So seismic waves that pass through this material are amplified, causing structures to swing violently.
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Impacts

  • There were 9,000 deaths and 22,000 injured.
  • Economic losses amounted to US$5 billion.
  • There were many landslides down the steep mountain slopes with killer snow and ice avalanches triggered on Mt. Everest (killed 20 people).
  • Many rural villages were totally destroyed – over 450,000 houses were damaged.
  • More than 2.8 million people were displaced from the Kathmandu Valley, and there was an increase in the trafficking of homeless girls into the sex trade in South Asia.

Responses

In April 2015, there was a severe earthquake in Nepal. This is an example of a disaster in a developing country.

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Aid

  • An estimated 1 million people needed emergency food assistance.
  • The Asian Development Bank provided US$200 million of aid for reconstruction.
  • Locations high in the Himalayan Mountains could not be accessed for many days and relief aid was slow arriving.
  • There was severe gender discrimination in the receipt of aid with thousands of women going without.
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Geopolitics

  • Nepalese government aid was hindered by political turmoil before and after the event.
  • More geopolitical issues arose as neighbouring countries (e.g. India and Indonesia) competed with each other for greater influence within Nepal.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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