A Second Earthquake and A Shorter Everest
A second major earthquake, 7.3 in magnitude, struck eastern Nepal at 12:35 local time on Tuesday. The epicenter was approximately 47 miles east of Kathmandu—between the capital city and Mt. Everest—and tremors could be felt in Northern India, Tibet and Bangladesh.
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A second major earthquake, 7.3 in magnitude, struck eastern Nepal at 12:35 local time on Tuesday. The epicenter was approximately 47 miles east of Kathmandu—between the capital city and Mt. Everest—and tremors could be felt in Northern India, Tibet and Bangladesh.
At least 37 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured, according to BBC News.
After the devastating quake on April 25, the U.S. Geological Survey had forecasted a 54-percent chance of a magnitude six or greater earthquake occurring in the weeks following.
In fear of aftershocks, the north side of Mt. Everest was closed and climbers attempting to summit from the south evacuated soon after an avalanche, triggered by the earthquake, leveled base camp.
READ: Firsthand Account of the April 25 Everest Avalanche
The earthquake of April 25 lifted the ground near Kathmandu by three feet. While it caused some areas to rise in altitude, the earthquake shrunk Mt. Everest by about an inch, according to satellite data analyzed by UNAVCO, a nonprofit geoscience research consortium.
The latest earthquake hit much closer to Everest, possibly affecting the mountain’s height again. The questions of up or down and by how much remain unanswered at this time.
Related Articles:
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A Summitless Year for Everest? North Side Closed, Retreat from the South
Sherpa Future Fund and Account of the April 25 Everest Avalanche