Why the Nepalese quake was so destructive
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 - 07:30
in Earth & Climate
The earthquake, which wreaked havoc in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal on Saturday about noon local time, was the strongest quake in the world so far this year. With a magnitude of 7.8 it was felt over a very large area from the Indian capital Delhi 500 miles to the west, to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, about the same distance to the southeast. The large quake triggered a major avalanche on the south slopes of Mt. Everest which devastated the base camp, where hundreds of climbers were waiting for a break in the weather to ascend the world's highest peak. More than a dozen people are feared to have died in the avalanche. Mt. Everest lies 140 miles east of the epicenter.