Nepal was hit with an earthquake

Earthquake causing panic among residents in Nepal.

An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 hit Nepal at 4:30 am on Tuesday. A statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 25km. This makes it susceptible to aftershocks.

Shallow earthquakes are more dangerous than deeper ones. They release greater energy closer to the Earth’s surface. This causes stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties. In contrast, deeper earthquakes lose energy as they travel to the surface.

Nepal is the 11th most earthquake-prone country in the world.

• Other earthquakes were reported globally. Southern California, USA, was hit by a 5.2 magnitude quake, shaking homes and causing landslides. Japan also experienced a 4.6 magnitude