What the record shows for Nepal
The strongest earthquake on record near Nepal is a magnitude 7.8 in 2015, centred 67 km NNE of Bharatpur, Nepal - 11 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 578 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Nepal - roughly 29 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Nepal in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Nepal sits directly on the Himalayan collision front, the source of the devastating 2015 Gorkha earthquake.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Nepal.
Earthquake risk in Nepal - FAQ
Is Nepal at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 29 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.8 in 2015.
What was the biggest earthquake in Nepal?
The strongest earthquake on record near Nepal is M7.8, in 2015 (67 km NNE of Bharatpur, Nepal), from USGS.
Does Nepal get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Nepal in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Nepal?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.