A case study of an earthquake in a POORER PART of the World
- The Gorkha Earthquake, Nepal - April 2015
KEY DETAILS
Cause and Diagram….
Include a description of the key details of the
event...
Date:
Time:
Size on Richter Scale:
Focus:
Epicentre:
Aftershocks:
Secondary hazards – landslides, avalanches and
flooding.
The result of two continental plates - Indian Plate
and the Eurasian Plate - crashing into each other.
They meet beneath the Himalayas at a collision
(converging) boundary. The India plate is moving
north at around 45mm a year and pushing under the
Eurasian plate.
PRIMARY EFFECTS
22 Climbers on Everest Killed by avalanches and ice
falls
9 000 dead (other countries saw much smaller losses
e.g. Bangladesh 4 and India 67) More women than
men killed as they were more likely to be at home.
SECONDARY EFFECTS
Trekking routes and World Heritage Sties closed,
tourism industry stopped. (estimated $600m losses
over the next two years)
23 000 injured
Villages cut off such as Yanglakot as roads collapsed
or blocked by landslides
14 HEP Stations damaged and other infrastructure
destroyed e.g. roads, electricity cables.
7000 schools destroyed, the oldest temple in Nepal
collapsed, poor quality housing collapsed. Building
quality was very poor.
Loss of livestock and crops in the Kathmandu Valley.
Stored grains ready for planting destroyed.
IMMEDIATE RESPONSES
Survivors cleared rubble and bodies with their own
hands
Poverty increased because 30% of the nation’s small
industries, operated by local families, were
destroyed.
23% shortage in energy supply
Increased demand for labourers to demolish and
clear debris and further demand expected for
rebuilding so wages will rise.
People too scared to return home. Open air shelters
set up in Kathmandu
LONG TERM RESPONSES
Rebuilding – BBB = Build Back Better approach,
estimated $10m needs to be spent
Particular focus on safety of schools and hospitals.
Recovery of historic buildings using specialist
knowledge.
Over 250000ex-servicement recalled by the
government to help in response.
International airport closed
Tourists stop visiting (90% fall in tourist bookings)
Improve the preparedness of the population of Nepal
– government education schemes.
Government to promote seismic research including an
increase in field data and satellite imagery.
International appeal for Aid – charities respond with
food, water, medicines. Search and rescue teams
deployed supported by 60 countries.