Magnitude 7.9 · 25 April 2015 · 60km northwest of Kathmandu. The LIC earthquake for comparing effects and responses with Japan.
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7.9
Magnitude
9,000
Deaths
20,000
Injured
8 million
Affected
$5bn
Damage cost
3 million
Made homeless
Key facts — from Seaford 2025–27 case study notes
Background & causes
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, located between China and India
Epicentre 60km northwest of Kathmandu, focus only 8km deep — very shallow = more destructive
Struck at 11:26am on Saturday 25 April 2015 — daytime, people were outdoors
Located at a destructive plate boundary — Indian plate colliding with Eurasian plate
Primary impacts
Social: 9,000 deaths · 20,000 injured · 3 million homeless · 7,000 schools destroyed · 1.4 million needed food and water
Economic: Total damage $5 billion · 50% of shops destroyed
Environmental: Electricity, water and communications affected · contaminated water supplies · farmland buried under landslide debris
Secondary impacts
Avalanches on Mount Everest killed climbers
Landslides blocked roads and rivers
Disease risk from contaminated water
Long-term displacement of communities
Responses (immediate & long-term)
Immediate: International aid from 34 countries · search and rescue teams deployed · UN emergency appeal
Long-term: Rebuilding schools and hospitals · improved earthquake-resistant building regulations · international reconstruction funds
Limitations: Remote mountain villages hard to reach · poor infrastructure slowed response · corruption in aid distribution
Exam questions — 3 questions · 14 marks
⚡ Geography exam tip: Always use named examples with specific data. "An earthquake in Nepal" scores fewer marks than "The 2015 Nepal earthquake (magnitude 7.9, 9,000 deaths)." Learn the statistics on this page.
1 markCause
Why was the Nepal earthquake so destructive?
A It lasted for 4 minutes and shifted the Earth's axis
B The epicentre was shallow (8km deep) and close to Kathmandu, and Nepal had poor building infrastructure
C It triggered a 10-metre tsunami
D It occurred on a constructive plate boundary
4 marksPrimary impacts
Describe the primary social and economic impacts of the Nepal 2015 earthquake. Use specific statistics. (4 marks)
Hint: Cover BOTH social AND economic impacts. Use specific numbers from the case study — vague answers score fewer marks.
+40 XP
6 marksLIC vs HIC comparison
Using named examples, explain why earthquakes in LICs often cause more deaths than earthquakes in HICs, even when they are smaller in magnitude. (6 marks)
Hint: Compare Nepal (LIC) and Japan (HIC) directly. For each point, name the country and give specific evidence. Cover: building quality, emergency response, infrastructure, preparation, recovery.