2015 earthquake in Nepal

Where and why did the earthquake occur?

On 25 April 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Nepal, with its epicentre around 80 km northwest of Kathmandu. It happened at a collision plate boundary, where the Indo-Australian Plate is being pushed into the Eurasian Plate. This pressure forces the Himalayas higher each year.

The two plates had been locked for a long time, building up stress in the crust. When the pressure was finally released, a powerful shallow-focus earthquake occurred, making the shaking especially destructive in densely populated valleys and remote mountain settlements.

Primary impacts

Impact on people

• Around 8,800 people were killed, and more than 22,000 were injured.
• Many deaths were caused by collapsing homes, especially in rural villages where buildings were made from stone, brick and mud without earthquake-resistant design.
• Hospitals were damaged and quickly overwhelmed, making it difficult to treat the injured.
• Power cuts and communication failures slowed rescue efforts, and many roads into Kathmandu became blocked with debris.

Impact on property

• Approximately 500,000 homes were destroyed, and nearly 300,000 were severely damaged.
• Historic temples and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kathmandu were reduced to rubble.
• Roads cracked, bridges collapsed, and even Kathmandu’s main airport was temporarily closed, limiting access for emergency aid.
• In some valley settlements, whole villages were flattened.

Impact on the environment

• Thousands of landslides and avalanches tore down mountain slopes, destroying forests, rivers, trekking routes and farmland.
• At Everest Base Camp, a massive avalanche swept across the glacier, damaging ice, rock and fragile high-altitude habitats.
• River channels were blocked with rock and mud, altering water flow and trapping fish and wildlife.

Secondary impacts

Impact on people

• More than 3 million people were left without shelter. Many had to sleep outside in temporary camps during cold, wet conditions.
• With water supplies damaged and sanitation systems broken, the risk of disease increased in crowded shelters.
• The earthquake triggered landslides and avalanches across the Himalayas. One avalanche swept through Everest Base Camp, killing climbers and guides.
• Food shortages developed in remote mountain areas as roads were blocked and farmland was buried under rock and debris.

Impact on property

• The landslides destroyed trekking paths, schools, hospitals and farmland, cutting off communities for weeks.
• Tourism, a major source of income, collapsed as visitors cancelled trips, and hotels and trekking lodges were damaged.
• Thousands of buildings were too unsafe to live in and needed to be demolished or rebuilt.

Impact on the environment

• Landslide debris created temporary natural dams that increased the risk of flash flooding if they later collapsed.
• Rubble from collapsed buildings and broken sewage systems polluted rivers and groundwater.
• Wildlife habitats in mountain valleys were buried or cut off, making it harder for animals to find food and shelter.
• Damaged waste systems in settlements allowed rubbish and human waste to enter water sources, negatively impacting ecosystems downstream.

International Responses

Nepal lacked the necessary funds, resources, and emergency equipment to cope with such a large disaster on its own. Support from overseas was vital.

• Search and rescue teams, including sniffer dogs and specialist equipment, arrived from India, China, the UK, the USA and other countries to pull survivors from collapsed buildings.
• Aid agencies, such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, and Oxfam, provided tents, food, clean water, blankets, and toilets for displaced families.
• The United Nations helped coordinate relief across the country and delivered supplies to remote mountain villages by helicopter.
• Temporary shelters and classrooms were established to provide safe spaces for families and children to reside and study.
• International governments donated billions of dollars to rebuild homes, hospitals, and historic sites damaged in the earthquake.

These responses helped reduce further deaths from exposure, starvation and disease, and supported Nepal’s long recovery.

Nepal is a developing, low-income country in South Asia. Many people work in farming and tourism, and their average incomes are significantly lower than those in wealthy nations. Buildings in rural areas are often made from brick, stone and mud, and are not designed to withstand strong shaking. Medical facilities, roads and emergency services are limited, especially in remote mountain regions.

Nepal lies where the Indo-Australian Plate collides with the Eurasian Plate, creating the Himalayas. This makes it highly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes. When the 2015 earthquake struck near Kathmandu, weak buildings, crowded settlements, and limited emergency resources meant the impacts were much more severe and recovery was slower compared to a developed country like Japan.