The 2015 Nepal earthquake, which killed more than 7,000 people and injured more than twice as many, occurred at 11:56 NST on 25 April, with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.8Mw or 8.1Ms and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of IX (Violent). Its epicenter lay in Barpak village of Gorkha district and its hypocenter was at a depth of approximately 15 km (9.3 mi).
It was the most powerful disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. Some casualties have also been reported in the adjoining areas of India, China, and Bangladesh. The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing at least 19, making it the deadliest day on the mountain in history. It triggered another huge avalanche in Langtang valley, where 250 are now missing. Hundreds of thousands of houses were destroyed rendering people homeless with entire villages flattened, across many districts of the country. Centuries-old buildings were destroyed at UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley, including some at the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Patan Durbar Square and the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Geophysicists and other experts had warned for decades that Nepal was vulnerable to a deadly earthquake, particularly because of its geology, urbanization, and architecture.
Continued aftershocks occurred throughout Nepal, with one shock reaching a magnitude of 6.7 on 26 April at 12:54:08 NST. The country is at continued risk of landslides as well.