DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE IN NEPAL (2015): A GEOGRAPHICAL APPRAISAL

Earthquakes occur within the Earth’s crust along faults that suddenly release large amounts of energy that have built up over long periods of time. The shaking during an earthquake is caused by seismic waves. Seismic waves are generated when rock within the crust breaks, producing a tremendous amount of energy. The energy released moves out in all directions as waves. The earthquake in Nepal (2015) is caused by the ongoing continent-continent collision between India and Asia. That collision has produced the Himalaya Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. The collision zone wraps around the northwest promontory of the Indian continent in the Hindu Kush region of Tajikistan and Afghanistan then extends to the southeast through Nepal and Bhutan. The earthquake flattened homes, buildings and temples, causing widespread damage across the region, killing more than 2,300 and injuring more than 5,000. The earthquake was strong enough to be felt all across parts of India, Bangladesh, China's region of Tibet and Pakistan. The present paper deals with the origin, magnitude, causes and consequences of devastating earthquake in Nepal along with its proper management.