Earthquake jolts Nepal: Magnitude 4.2 earthquake strikes Nepal; susceptible to aftershocks
Earthquake of magnitude 4.2 strikes Nepal (ANI)
An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale jolted Nepal on Sunday, according to a statement released by the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The statement noted that the earthquake is susceptible to aftershocks, as it occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km.
In a post on X, the NCS said: "EQ of M: 4.2, On: 29/06/2025 14:19:05 IST, Lat: 29.35 N, Long: 81.94 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Nepal."
Shallow earthquakes, such as the one that struck Nepal on Sunday, are typically more dangerous than deeper ones. In such cases, tremors are felt much closer to the Earth's surface, increasing the potential for widespread damage to life and property. In contrast, tremors from deeper earthquakes tend to lose intensity before reaching the surface.
Nepal has a long history of seismic activity, with the devastating 2015 earthquake, which claimed thousands of lives, still fresh in public memory. The country lies in the Himalayan region, a zone of intense seismic activity, caused by the ongoing collision between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
This collision leads to the Indian plate sliding beneath the Eurasian plate, a process known as subduction, which builds up immense pressure and stress within the Earth's crust.
The subduction zone amplifies this stress, making Nepal particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.
The ongoing tectonic collision also contributes to the uplift of the Himalayan mountain range, further adding to seismic activity in the region.
Earlier on April 26, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the 8,969 victims who lost their lives during the deadly 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stood beneath the replica of the Dharahara Tower, which collapsed during the 7.8-magnitude earthquake a decade ago, and paid tribute to those who perished in the disaster.
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