of Earthquakes in Nepal and Chile Earthquakes can cause great damage and loss of life in the regions where they strike. The structural damage, economic loss and numbers injured or killed can depend greatly on whether the country affected is wealthy and developed or poorer and less developed.
Chile is considered to be more developed than Nepal. Case Study: Nepal Earthquake, 2015
Date of earthquake 25 April 2015 Magnitude Location
7.8 on the moment magnitude scale The epicentre was located about 80 km away from Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu.
Earthquake depth The earthquake was close to the surface – the focus was only 15 km below ground. Aftershocks
Two very large aftershocks occurred within an hour of the main earthquake. They measured 6.6 and 6.7 on the moment magnitude scale.
CHINAu r p a EURASIAN PLATE NEP AL Kathmandu
Perceived shaking Severe Very strong Strong
Moderate Epicentre Fault line
INDO-AUSTRALIAN PLATE INDIA
Mount Everest 8850 m
Managing information and thinking:
1. What two plates have a boundary in this region?
2. What type of plate boundary is this? (Look back at the map on page 5 to help you.)
3. Where do you think the greatest damage would have occurred? Explain why.
4. Some aftershocks can cause more damage than the stronger, original earthquake. Can you suggest a reason for this?
