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Nepal quake: Over 1,000 dead, history razed, Everest shaken

azgreg

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Nepal quake: Over 1,000 dead, history razed, Everest shaken

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Tens of thousands of people prepared to spend the night in the open under a chilly and thundery sky after a powerful earthquake shook Nepal on Saturday, killing more than 1,180 people, collapsing modern houses and centuries-old temples, and triggering a landslide on the slopes of Mount Everest. Officials said the death toll will rise as more reports from far-flung areas come in.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake, which originated outside the capital Kathmandu, was the worst tremor to hit the poor South Asian nation in over 80 years. It was so powerful that it was felt all across the northern part of neighboring India, Bangladesh, Tibet and Pakistan where a total of 50 people died. The death toll in Nepal was 1,130, but it is almost certain to rise, said deputy Inspector General of Police Komal Singh Bam.

More than two dozen aftershocks jolted the area after the first quake, which struck just before noon. At the time, Shrish Vaidya, who runs an advertising agency, was in his two-story house outside the capital Kathmandu with his arents.

"It is hard to describe. The house was shaking like crazy. We ran out and it seemed like the road was heaving up and down," Vaidya, 46, told The Associated Press. "I don't remember anything like this before. Even my parents can't remember anything this bad."

Holy Crap!! Some people are predicting that the death toll could reach over a thousand.
 
I'll never understand why people choose to live in places where earthquakes and generally ****ed up catastrophes happen. Then, I remember that I'm from California, and I stop asking myself that question.
 
It's over 1,500 dead last I checked.
Terrible.

A Science Magazine article predicted this two months ago:

New jitters over megaquakes in Himalayas

Seismologists worried about the prospect of a massive earthquake in the shadow of the Himalayas, where it could devastate cities such as Kathmandu and Delhi, have long cast a wary glance at an eerily calm region called the central seismic gap. A massive earthquake in southwestern Tibet in 1505 C.E., researchers proposed a decade ago, relieved enough strain to quiet that stretch of the restive Himalayas. But new findings now suggest that the 1505 temblor was smaller than thought and was just one of a cluster of potent quakes to rattle the region within a few centuries. If so, the recurrence of major quakes in the Himalayas, unlike in many other seismic hot spots, follows no discernible pattern of strain relief—meaning that authorities must gird for a megaearthquake anywhere at any time.

New jitters over megaquakes in Himalayas
 
Too sad! I hope we help them out.
 
Such a beautiful place. Very tragic. I hope the people get all the aid they need.
 
I'll never understand why people choose to live in places where earthquakes and generally ****ed up catastrophes happen. Then, I remember that I'm from California, and I stop asking myself that question.

And of course for people in poverty to pick up and move, even if they wanted to is not easy.
 
And of course for people in poverty to pick up and move, even if they wanted to is not easy.

Yeah, that still doesn't explain the immense number of rich people living in the same area. I get that California is great for agriculture (as long as there isn't a drought) but I really don't see a benefit to living in a place where your house gets destroyed every 100 years or so. Then again, I own homes in places where the most we'll get is a hurricane and some broken windows. I just don't really get the point of living in a place where such catastrophes are anywhere near regular.
 
Yeah, that still doesn't explain the immense number of rich people living in the same area. I get that California is great for agriculture (as long as there isn't a drought) but I really don't see a benefit to living in a place where your house gets destroyed every 100 years or so. Then again, I own homes in places where the most we'll get is a hurricane and some broken windows. I just don't really get the point of living in a place where such catastrophes are anywhere near regular.

Most people don't live a hundred years so they may not experience it in their lifetime or even a few generations. If you have no memory of it it's easy to put in the back of your mind.
 
Yeah, that still doesn't explain the immense number of rich people living in the same area. I get that California is great for agriculture (as long as there isn't a drought) but I really don't see a benefit to living in a place where your house gets destroyed every 100 years or so. Then again, I own homes in places where the most we'll get is a hurricane and some broken windows. I just don't really get the point of living in a place where such catastrophes are anywhere near regular.

because few people live 100 years i guess. Even then, 1,000 fatalities in a city of millions, the odds are in their favor

What blows my mind is living in places like new orleans - twice hit by massive hurricanes in a decade, with climate change only accelerating.
 
Most people don't live a hundred years so they may not experience it in their lifetime or even a few generations. If you have no memory of it it's easy to put in the back of your mind.

Those fools living near Vesuvius in 79 AD, what were they thinking!
 
Nepal quake: Over 1,000 dead, history razed, Everest shaken



Holy Crap!! Some people are predicting that the death toll could reach over a thousand.

Given it's size and location, I'd wouldn't be surprised if the death toll ends much higher than 1000, more like 5000, imo. Last eve when I first heard about it, the reports were saying "100 confirmed dead," and I thought that couldn't possibly be the end of it, not with a nearly 8point earthquake.
The other thing that just blew me away about the reporting is all the focus on a temple falling. WHO CARES, really. I'd be much more concerned with reporting how many homes and businesses were destroyed as those are the things people need, a temple, not so much.
 
Horrible. A near 8 mag quake is devastating anywhere, but in areas where buildings are basically unreinforced stone, I can't imagine the carnage.
 
Horrible. A near 8 mag quake is devastating anywhere, but in areas where buildings are basically unreinforced stone, I can't imagine the carnage.

Greetings, DiAnna. :2wave:

I remember the 6.7 magnitude earthquake at Northridge, California 20 years ago, and my horror at seeing videos of some of the destruction, and reading some first hand accounts of some who lived through it - and geologists stated it wasn't even the big one that was still coming! My God! The video that Yahoo had earlier today from Nepal was unbelievable, and as you point out, unreinforced stone sure doesn't offer any protection if it falls and you're under it! I haven't heard about how many have been rescued, and I know they are digging frantically to find them! Those poor souls! I'm glad that aid from countries around the world is on its way, but anytime ancient structures are destroyed, they lose history that cannot be replaced, and I'm certain they mourn that loss as much as those that died, since they are a society that reveres their ancestors. So sad.....
 
Avalanche at Everest Base Camp



Insane. It happens so fast.
 
Given it's size and location, I'd wouldn't be surprised if the death toll ends much higher than 1000, more like 5000, imo.

Yep, death toll currently at over 3,700 and raising...
Terrible.
 
Those fools living near Vesuvius in 79 AD, what were they thinking!

Yeah they should have boarded a 747 to the U.S. and stayed at a Hilton until it all blew over!
 
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