2023 Nepal earthquake
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake hit Jajarkot District, Karnali Province, Nepal at 11:47 PM local time (18:02 GMT) on 3 November 2023. The earthquakes caused at least 153 deaths and injured at least 375 people.[1][2] The earthquake was felt in western Nepal and northern India. It wasn't very strong, and relatively few people died. As it occured in an area that is remote and difficult to access, the death toll may still rise. It wasn't very strong, but it caused a lot of damage. This was because the building standards in the region are low. The earthquake also occurred at night.[3]
  | |
| UTC time | 2023-11-03 18:02:54 |
|---|---|
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 3 November 2023 |
| Local time | 23:47 NST (UTC+5:45) |
| Magnitude | 5.7 Mw |
| Depth | 17.9 km (11.1 mi) |
| Epicenter | 28°53′17″N 82°11′42″E / 28.888°N 82.195°E |
| Areas affected | Nepal, India |
| Total damage | Severe |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
| Aftershocks | 109 |
| Casualties | 153 dead, 375 injured |
Tectonic setting change
Nepal is located in the Himalayas, a place where earthquakes happen because the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates are colliding. These plates are moving towards each other at a rate of 1.6 to 2.0 inches per year. The Indian Plate is sliding beneath the Eurasian Plate's landmass, causing faults to form along the collision area. The Main Frontal Thrust is the main fault that handles this movement. Throughout history, earthquakes along these faults have been very destructive.[4]
Earthquakes are quite common in Nepal. In 1934, there was a very big earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 that hit Sagarmatha, and it caused 10,700 deaths in Nepal and India. In 1988, there was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in eastern Nepal that killed over 700 people. In 2015, a big earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 hit central Nepal and caused the deaths of over 9,000 people, including many in the capital city, Kathmandu.[5]
Earthquake change
The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of Mw 5.7 and a depth of 17.9 kilometers. The type of fault responsible for the earthquake was identified as a reverse fault along a plane that stretches from northwest to southeast, with the angle of dip being either northeast or southwest.[2] A magnitude 4.0 aftershock was recorded hours later. The epicenter was estimated to be in Ramidanda, located in the Jajarkot District.
References change
- ↑ "At least 119 killed as magnitude 5.6 quake hits western Nepal". Aljazeera. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Earthquake Information Center (3 November 2023). "M 5.6 - 42 km S of Jumla, Nepal". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ Sharma, Gopal (4 November 2023). "Rescuers struggle to find Nepal quake survivors as deaths reach 157". Reuters. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ Turner, Bethan; Jenkins, Jennifer; Turner, Rebecca; A.L., Parker; Alison, Sinclair; Sian, Davies; G.P., Hayes; Antonio, Villaseñor; R.L., Dart; A.C., Tarr; K.P., Furlong; H.M., Benz (2013). "Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2010 Himalaya and Vicinity". Open-File Report 2010‒1083–J, ver. 1.1. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ↑ Binaj Gurubacharya (4 November 2023). "At least 69 dead as strong quake rocks northwestern Nepal, and officials say toll expected to rise". Associated Press. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
