A very strong Magnitude 7.0 earthquake has struck the country of Nepal. The quake was very shallow, at an initial reported depth of only 10km – which means it would be widely felt.
UPDATE 8:26 PM EST —
The quake has been reviewed and UPGRADED to a M7.1
The location has been re-centered and occurred in southwest CHINA. The town nearest the quake is Xegar, which is at the base of Mount Everest!
This is apparently a VERY severe earthquake; widespread damage, injuries and deaths are expected.
According to the US Geological Survey SHAKE MAP, this earthquake’s “perceived shaking” is described as “SEVERE” and damage expectations are described as “Moderate to Severe”
From the United States Geological Survey:
Seismicity in the Himalaya dominantly results from the continental collision of the India and Eurasia plates, which are converging at a relative rate of 40-50…
