Nepal, a small South Asian country, is located in a seismic zone that is highly active due to the constant movement of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. This movement creates stress along the faults, which is periodically released in the form of earthquakes, causing widespread damage and loss of life. Despite the challenges posed by these natural disasters, the Nepalese people have shown great resilience and determination in rebuilding their communities.
Nepal has a long history of earthquakes, dating back to at least 1255 AD, when a magnitude 7.8 quake killed one-third of Kathmandu’s population, including King Abhaya Malla. Since then, Nepal has experienced at least one major earthquake per century, some of which have been devastating. The most recent ones include:
- The 1934 Nepal–India earthquake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale and killed over 10,700 people in Nepal and Bihar, India.
- The 1988 Nepal earthquake, which measured 6.9 on the Richter scale and killed over 1,000 people in eastern Nepal.
- The 2015 Nepal earthquake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed over 8,800 people in central Nepal, many in the capital Kathmandu. This quake also triggered several aftershocks, including a 7.3 magnitude quake on May 12, 2015, that killed over 200 people.
- The 2022 Nepal earthquake, which measured 5.7 on the Richter scale and killed six people in western Nepal.
- The earthquake that struck Nepal in November 2023 was a significant event. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 5.7 and struck the Jajarkot District, Karnali Province, Nepal, at 23:47 NPT (18:02 UTC) on 3 November 2023. It resulted in the death of 157 people and injured at least 3751. The earthquake was widely felt in western Nepal and northern India and is the deadliest to strike the country since 2015.
In Nepal earthquake has not even taken lives but also destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings, infrastructure, and cultural heritage sites. Many people have been displaced or rendered homeless by the quakes and have faced challenges in accessing basic services such as water, electricity, healthcare, and education. The Nepalese government, along with national and international agencies, has been working to provide relief and recovery assistance to the affected communities, as well as to enhance the country’s preparedness and resilience to future earthquakes.
However, many challenges remain, such as inadequate resources, coordination gaps, political instability, corruption, and social inequality. Nepal is a country that is prone to earthquakes due to its geology and location, but it is also a country that has shown remarkable courage and resilience in the face of adversity. The Nepalese people have demonstrated their solidarity and spirit of survival in coping with the disasters that have struck their land. As they rebuild their lives and livelihoods, they also hope for a safer and more prosperous future.
source : en.wikipedia.org, news.un.org, seismo.gov.in
