Spare a thought for the people of Nepal after that 7.9 quake

[malaise]

Hundreds are dead - many trapped under rubble.
So far they're saying over 150 but seeing how close this was to Kathmandu, expect way more casualties.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/apr/25/nepal-earthquake-nation-worst-tremor-80-years-kathmandu-live-updates


Many climbers are missing aat Mount Everest as well and there are casualties in Bangladesh

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. looks like a nasty one...

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20002926#impact_shakemap

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20002926#impact_pager

sP

[malaise]

25. Google executive Dan Fredinburg among victims of Everest avalanche

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/25/google-executive-dan-fredinburg-everest-avalanche
<snip>

Dan Fredinburg, a senior executive at Google, was among more than a dozen people confirmed killed by the avalanche that swept through Everest base camp in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

Tom Briggs, marketing director for Jagged Globe, a Sheffield-based climbing and adventure company, confirmed the news “with the greatest sorrow”. Two other climbers, Paul Greenan, from Dublin, and British-born Richard Brooks, from Sydney, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries including broken ribs, arm and pelvis.

“They saw the avalanche coming and were able to make a run for it but the camp was right in the middle of it,” said Briggs. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dan’s family and friends.”
Advertisement

Three other Jagged Globe teams currently in Nepal are as yet unaccounted for. One team had been climbing Mera Peak, also in the Everest region, and two trekking teams are on the Dhaulagiri circuit.

[beam me up scottie]

2. .

[MerryBlooms]

3. Really terrible, and those numbers are going to go way up.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. Daughter is there...

She and her dad are on a base camp trek, currently in a little town between Kathmandu and Everest called Namche.

Trek organizer is posting updates to Facebook and twitter, thank goodness. Their group is okay; awaiting news as to what to do.

It occurred around 4:00 PM there, and it's peak tourist season. What a nightmare for Nepal.

Thoughts and prayers to all......

[kentuck]

6. I hope they are OK?

It sounds very, very bad.

[OneGrassRoot]

9. They are okay...

I don't know much beyond that. There was "moderate damage" to the little village where they currently are, between Kathmandu and Mt. Everest.

There are so many trek groups there now -- peak season. I can't imagine these groups will continue, as I hear reports of significant damage at base camp.

But Kathmandu is obviously a mess...so returning there may not be wise right now either.

Those poor people....huge, huge tragedy throughout the country.

[Tree-Hugger]

11. ......

I am glad your daughter is okay.

Many blessings to all who are affected by this quake.

[malaise]

16. Death toll approaching 1,000

[villager]

26. That was the number I saw this morning. It will still probably get worse. As a native Californian...

...I perhaps have particular empathy for earthquake calamities, since we're running the exact same "lottery" out here...

On edit: And for OneGrassRoot, glad you've already gotten the "OK" message on your own loved ones...

[malaise]

28. BBC said over 1,500 at last count

Numbers will rise -this is very very bad given the age and (lack of)strength of buildings in general and homes in particular

[villager]

29. Right. Earthquakes where there's been no zoning for them are even worse.

This is going to be a big rebuilding issue there for awhile. One wonders what affect it will have on the political landscape, as well.

[malaise]

32. I was making the point to a colleague recently that we have not done enough work

on the political impact of natural disasters.

[villager]

34. Good point. It would be interesting to see where on the "scale" the collective response is...

Towards more authoritarianism, to "rebuild?"

More freedom if it's shown the old ways have literally "collapsed?"

It could be argued that Katrina was the first real unraveling of the self-created mythos keeping BushCo in power for so long...

[malaise]

35. Well part of the 'Shock Doctrine' is the gentrification

by the neo-liberals - running the locals out of the area and turning it into a tourism mecca (Sri Lanka post earthquake/tsunami; New Orleans after Katrina.
Still that is more economic policy.

I've started looking at the hurricanes around the period of the Haitian Revolution and slave revolts in the English-speaking Caribbean as well as the political change which followed major hurricanes in the post-slavery period.

[villager]

37. If you're pursuing this actively, you should definitely post back findings here on DU

they'd be great historical insights, and discussion-launchers...!

[LeftInTX]

20. I'm glad they are safe. I agree it will be awhile before they can return home.

[bigwillq]

24. Glad your loved ones are ok.

[malaise]

15. Hope they're OK along with the many others

[kentuck]

5. Tornados and earthquakes...what's going on?

Check out the photos in this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/world/asia/nepal-earthquake-katmandu.html?_r=0#

<snip>
NEW DELHI — An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 shook Nepal on Saturday near its capital, Katmandu. People in the capital described scenes of panic and collapsed buildings, and the United States Geological Survey predicted severe damage to villages near the quake’s epicenter, about 50 miles from Katmandu.

A spokesperson for Nepal’s home ministry, Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, said the preliminary death toll stood at 356, and that thousands of people had been injured. Trekkers reported a major avalanche on Mount Everest, with some teams reported missing. In addition, 13 deaths had been reported in India by midafternoon.

Residents of Katmandu ran into the streets and other open spaces as buildings fell, throwing up clouds of dust, and wide cracks opened on paved streets and the walls of city buildings. Overflowing hospitals were treating injured patients on the street, and Nepal’s leading television station, its studios crushed, was brodcasting from the pavement outside.

By midafternoon the United States Geological Survey had counted 12 aftershocks, one of which measured at a magnitude of 6.6.

Kanak Mani Dixit, a Nepali political commentator, said he was having lunch with his parents when the quake struck. The rolling was so intense and long-lasting that he had trouble getting to his feet, he said. He helped his father and an elderly neighbor to safety in the garden outside and then had to carry his elderly mother.

“And I had time to do all that while the quake was still going on,” Mr. Dixit said. “It was like being on a boat in heavy seas.”

....more at link

[SheilaT]

13. This planet is geologically active.

That's why earthquakes occur. And while some things humans do cause minor quakes, Ones like this, including all the aftershocks, are just part of the risks of living on this planet.

[myrna minx]

7. .

[marmar]

8. ...............

[justiceischeap]

10. Live updates on "The Guardian" website

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/apr/25/nepal-earthquake-nation-worst-tremor-80-years-kathmandu-live-updates

[catbyte]

12. This is prime time for climbing Everest & others, too. Lots of avalanches.

[MerryBlooms]

14. rec & kick & shared

[applegrove]

17. Vibes to all.

[liberal_at_heart]

18. .

[LeftInTX]

19. This is a huge quake in the largest mountains in the world

With a high population


In comparison: The Armenian quake of 1988 was only 6.8 and killed 20,000. I sure hope the death toll from this quake isn't as bad. (Sorry to compare, but its a frame of reference for me)
The magnitude, terrain and population of Nepal tell me the potential is much worse. I hope for the best

[suffragette]

21. Many aftershocks - Times India reports 65 so far

Aftershocks are very scary, since you are already nervous and buildings that made it through the initial quake can collapse during these.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-earthquake-triggers-65-aftershocks/articleshow/47053676.cms

Aftershocks were felt for hours after the 7.9-magnitude tremor devastated parts of Nepal and caused destruction in parts eastern India, Tibet Autonomous Region and Bangladesh.

Many of them of these (sic) were above 5 and one at a big 6.6.

This data can also be seen at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

Below is the list of some of the aftershocks:

7.8 on RI Scale 34km ESE of Lamjung, Nepal:

Below is the list of some of the aftershocks:
1. 5.1 on RI Scale 28km SSW of Kodari, Nepal
2. 6.6 on RI Scale 49km E of Lamjung, Nepal
3. 5.5 on RI Scale 25km NNE of Nagarkot, Nepal
4. 5.0 on RI Scale 25km S of Kodari, Nepal
5. 4.8 on RI Scale 5km SE of Panaoti, Nepal
6. 4.8 on RI Scale 33km N of Kathmandu, Nepal
7. 4.5 on RI Scale 22km E of Banepa, Nepal
8. 5.0 on RI Scale 15km NNE of Nagarkot, Nepal
9. 4.6 on RI Scale 20km E of Nagarkot, Nepal
10. 4.9 on RI Scale 17km ENE of Banepa, Nepal
11. 4.7 on RI Scale 22km W of Kodari, Nepal
12. 5.0 on RI Scale 41km SE of Lamjung, Nepal
13. 5.3 on RI Scale 1km WNW of Banepa, Nepal
14. 4.9 on RI Scale 19km N of Kathmandu, Nepal
15. 5.0 on RI Scale 31km NNW of Nagarkot, Nepal
16. 4.2 on RI Scale 20km WSW of Kodari, Nepal
17. 4.8 on RI Scale 32km E of Panaoti, Nepal
18. 4.4 on RI Scale 21km SSW of Kodari, Nepal

[malaise]

22. Must be terrifying for those folks

[suffragette]

23. Yes, it must be. And with the aftershocks, many are staying outside in the cold.

[MerryBlooms]

27. kick

[Warpy]

30. In some ways, this reminds me of the Haiti quake

It's a very strong quake, very shallow, very near major urban centers that were built up with no earthquake proof structures. People are desperately poor and build their homes out of brick, the deadliest material out there during an earthquake.

Aftershocks have covered a good third of the country and many have been quite strong.

I just saw on BBC that the quake was felt strongly as far away as New Delhi.

[malaise]

33. Have had the same thought all day

This was a massive quake and structures were never going to remain standing

[shenmue]

31. Different news sites

say there are over 1,400 dead now.

[malaise]

36. Don't rule out

thousands by next week - this is a heavily populated area.

[malaise]

38. Contemplate a 6.7 aftershock as you look out at nothing but rubble

Over 2,300 victims so far - this will only get worse.

[octoberlib]

39. I'm wondering why the

U.S. Is only offering a million dollars in aid. We spend billions on war but can only cough up a paltry million for a major , devastating humanitarian crisis? Do we have issues with Nepal or something? Australia immediately offered 5 mil.