Back to news
2 May 2015 | News

Earthquake brief (2 May)

2 mins Read

70% Complete
In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Nepal on 25 April 2015, ICIMOD has been using its resources and expertise to support relief efforts.
Immediately after the disaster, ICIMOD formed a team of GIS and remote sensing experts that is coordinating directly with the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of Nepal. They have been working around the clock to process and analyse the latest satellite imagery being provided to ICIMOD from space agencies around the globe. The team is mapping pockets of settlements in affected districts and creating profiles of affected VDCs to inform relief and recovery operations.
ICIMOD has set up a dedicated webpage to provide the latest maps, data, and information about the situation in Nepal (www.icimod.org/nepalearthquake2015), including links to other relevant sites. The website will be regularly updated.
Unseasonable rain and weather patterns have proven to be one of the greatest challenges to helicopter rescue teams providing aid relief and evacuation assistance in remote areas hit by the earthquake.
At the verbal request of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) and Nepal Army ICIMOD has provided information products using remote sensing and GIS tools for rescue and relief activities. These products include maps of settlements, terrain, safe landing spots, as well as potential hazard areas. Along with those we also provided and some interpretation of weather conditions in the flight paths based on globally and regionally available forecasts.
Landslides have been another major obstacle to rescue and relief operations. Many roads are damaged or blocked, cutting off quake-hit villages from aid and rescue workers. Some slopes may have been destabilized by the earthquake, which could lead to other landslides. There is an urgent need to assess the impact of landslides for immediate rescue efforts and monitor potential hazards in the future. Moraine dams of glacier lakes may also have weakened during the earthquake, which could result in floods that would affect communities downstream. Together with colleagues around the world – in countries like China, Japan, The Netherlands, and the United States – ICIMOD is closely monitoring landslides, glacier lakes, and river courses by analysing the latest satellite images and communicating the latest findings to the Government of Nepal and relief agencies. The threat of further landslides and glacier lake outbursts may increase as snow begins to melt and the monsoon kicks in.
ICIMOD staff have collected supplies and dispatched teams of volunteers to provide immediate relief to nearby villages, including Harisiddhi, Godavari, and Sankhu, and the Centre is exploring ways to support long-term reconstruction in some of the mountain villages where ICIMOD works.
For more information, please contact:
Ms Nira Gurung, Senior Communications Officer, ICIMOD
email: 
Tel. +977 1 5003222

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

related contents

Continue exploring this topic

5 Jun 2015 News
World Environment Day 2015: ‘Sustainable consumption and production’

ICIMOD celebrated World Environment Day 2015 in collaboration with the Government of Gilgit Baltistan, the Pakistan Agricultural Research ...

29 May 2017 Himalica
Cardamania: Cardamom Drinks Launched at ICIMOD Haat Bazaar

At the fair, the Brazilian Ambassador to Nepal Maria Teresa Mesquita Pêssoa visited the Himalica stall and tasted the cardamom ...

20 Feb 2019 Gender in Koshi
Kalchebesi, a Climate Resilient Village in the Making

Empowering Women to Improve Agricultural Practices Building socio-economic resilience is at the core of the RMS concept and gender is an ...

30 Jul 2015 Water
Deepening spring hydrogeology knowledge

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with theAdvanced Centre on Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), ...

24 May 2017 Himalica
Himalica Action Research – The Journey: From Disaster to Preparedness

Women from migrant-sending households are increasingly responsible for managing disaster risks as well as household resources. Raising their awareness, improving ...

Community-based flood early warning: First national-level hands-on training in Pakistan

In collaboration with the Pakistan Meteorological Department, WWF-Pakistan, and Burraq Integrated ...

27 Jan 2016 KSL
A Need to Protect Nepal’s Diverse Resources

Nepal harbours abundant biodiversity. Diversity exists largely due to the unique climatic conditions and geography in the Himalayan range. Indigenous ...

9 Jun 2021 News
New book announcement – Environmental Humanities in the New Himalayas: Symbiotic Indigeneity, Commoning, Sustainability

The active research-teaching community of the Himalayan University Consortium, co-led by Dan Smyer Yü, Yunnan University, Erik de Maaker, Leiden ...