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{{Short description|1980 earthquake in the Nepal–India border}}
{{Infobox earthquake
| name = 1980 Nepal earthquake
| timestamp = 1980-07-29 14:58:40
| anss-url = usp0001959
| isc-event = 642643
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map2 = {{Location map+ | Nepal
|places =
{{Location map~|Nepal|lat=29.58|long=81.05|mark=Bullseye1.png|marksize=40}}
| width = 250
| float = right
| caption =
| relief =yes}}
| local-date = 29 July 1980
| local-time = 20:28:40
| duration = 20 seconds
| magnitude = 6.6 {{M|w|link=y}}<ref name="ISC-GEM"/>
| depth = {{convert|15.0|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="ISC-GEM"/>
| location = {{coord|29.58|81.05|region:IN_type:event|display=inline,title}}<ref name="ISC-GEM"/>
| fault = [[Main Himalayan Thrust]]<ref name="Ghazoui et al.">{{cite journal |author1=Z. Ghazoui |author2=S. Bertrand |author3=K. Vanneste |author4=Y. Yokoyama |author5=J. Nomade |author6=A. P. Gajurel |author7=P. A. van der Beek |title=Potentially large post-1505 AD earthquakes in western Nepal revealed by a lake sediment record |journal=Nature Communications |date=2019 |volume=10 |issue=2258 |page=2258 |doi=10.1038/s41467-019-10093-4 |pmid=31113962 |pmc=6529449 |bibcode=2019NatCo..10.2258G }}</ref>
| type = [[Fault (geology)#Dip-slip faults|Reverse]]
| affected = [[Uttarakhand]] & [[Nepal]]
| damage = [[United States dollar|$]] 245 million<ref name="NGDC"/>`
| intensity = {{MMI|8}}
| pga =
| tsunami =
| landslide =
| foreshocks = 5.7 {{M|b}}
| aftershocks =
| casualties = 200 dead, 5,600 injured
}}

The '''1980 Nepal earthquake''' devastated the [[Nepal–India border]] region on the evening of July 29. The epicenter of the 6.6 {{M|w|link=y}} earthquake was located in [[Nepal]], northwest of [[Khaptad National Park]].<ref name="ANSS">{{cite web |title=M 6.5 – 40 km NNE of Dipayal, Nepal |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp0001959/executive |publisher=United States Geological Survey |access-date=9 January 2022}}</ref> At least 200 people died and 5,600 were injured in the disaster. Extensive damage occurred on both sides of the border, amounting to 245 million [[United States dollar|USD]] (828.9 million in 2022).

==Tectonic setting==
The Himalaya is located at the [[convergent boundary]] where active convergence leads to [[continental collision]]. The India and Eurasian plates began colliding approximately 50 million years ago when the [[Tethys Ocean]] closed. The [[Main Himalayan Thrust]] (MHT), a [[decollement]] structure, defines the boundary between the [[Indian plate]] and [[Eurasian plate]]. The convergent zone also contains three other major faults; the [[Main Boundary Thrust]] (MBT), [[Main Central Thrust]] (MCT) and [[South Tibetan Detachment]] (STD). At the surface, the Main Himalayan Thrust propagates along the [[Main Frontal Thrust]]. These faults runs for approximately 2,300 km in an east–west direction, parallel to the southern foothills of the [[Lower Himalayan Range]] from [[Assam]], through [[Nepal]], and into [[Pakistan]]. This major [[thrust fault]] dips to the north, beneath the Himalaya at a shallow angle. It is the source of most of Himalayan earthquakes.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Metcalfe|first=John|date=14 June 2016|title=Study: Nepal Could Be Due for Another Major Earthquake|publisher=Bloomberg News|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-13/nepal-could-be-hit-by-another-major-earthquake-say-scientists|access-date=12 Dec 2020}}</ref><ref name="Himalayan earthquakes">{{cite journal |last1=Bilham |first1=Roger |title=Himalayan earthquakes: a review of historical seismicity and early 21st century slip potential |journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications |date=2019 |volume=483 |issue=1 |pages=423–482 |doi=10.1144/SP483.16 |bibcode=2019GSLSP.483..423B |url=https://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/483/1/423 |access-date=23 April 2021|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Earthquakes on the convergent boundary are megathrust events that repeat every few centuries. Large Himalayan earthquakes including those in [[1505 Lo Mustang earthquake|1505]], [[1934 Nepal–India earthquake|1934]] and [[1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake|1950]] with magnitudes of 8.0 to 8.9 were the result of rupturing the MHT. These events generated surface ruptures by breaching the surface via the Main Frontal Thrust. The [[Uttarakhand]] and west Nepal segment of the MHT was responsible for the {{M|w}} 7.8 [[1803 Garhwal earthquake]] as well as two smaller but deadly events in [[1991 Uttarkashi earthquake|1991]] and [[1999 Chamoli earthquake|1999]]. Deadly earthquakes occurred in 1966, and an {{M|w}} 7.0 struck the same region in 1916.

==Earthquake==
The earthquake occurred as the result of shallow [[thrust fault]]ing on the MHT boundary fault, between the MCT and the MBT. The [[earthquake rupture|rupture]] mechanism occurred on two separate fault planes; the latter corresponding to thrust faulting.<ref name="Singh">{{cite journal |author1=Vinod Singh |title=Earthquake of July 1980 in Far Western Nepal |journal=Journal of Nepal Geological Society |date=1982 |volume=2 |issue=2 |url=https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JNGS/article/view/32530}}</ref> A small right-lateral strike-slip component was measured as well.<ref name="Nakanishi & Kanamori">{{cite journal |author1=Ichiro Nakanishi |author2=[[Hiroo Kanamori]] |title=Source mechanisms of twenty-six large, shallow earthquake (M_S ≧ 6.5) during 1980 from P-wave first motion and long-period Rayleigh wave data |journal=[[Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America]] |date=1984 |volume=74 |issue=3 |pages=805–818 |doi=10.1785/BSSA0740030805 |doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 |url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/49160/1/805.full.pdf |issn=0037-1106}}</ref>

==Damage and casualties==
The [[mainshock]] was preceded by a strong 5.7 {{M|b}} [[foreshock]] almost three hours prior.<ref name="Aft5.7">{{cite web |title=M 5.7 – 31 km ENE of Dipayal, Nepal |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp0001955/executive |publisher=United States Geological Survey |access-date=9 January 2022}}</ref> Severe shaking lasted 20 seconds during the mainshock. The death toll would have been higher if not for the foreshock which had residents on high alert, and driven them out of their homes.

A total of 13,258 homes were destroyed, making at least 30,000 homeless. The greatest damage was situated in a narrow zone between northwest Darchula and southeast Bajhang. An inspection after the earthquake found that tall buildings were the most damaged. Houses with heavy roofs made of [[slate]] were also found to be greatly affected. The report concluded that weak foundations and haphazard construction practices were responsible for the extensive damage observed.<ref name="Manandhar">{{citation |last1=Manandhar |first1=Ramesh |title=People's earthquake engineering in Nepal |url=https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/8_vol7_875.pdf}}</ref>

In the village of Moribagad, damage was minimal. The limited damage was, according to residents, because they followed the rules of their goddess. The rule stated that residents must not build a house with more than two floors, as a middle floor is forbidden. The next rule forbids slate roofs which were heavy, hence residents constructed lightweight [[thatch]] roofs.<ref name="Manandhar" />

The [[Mahakali Zone|Mahakali]] and [[Seti Zone]]s suffered major impacts. Three districts in the zone; [[Bajhang District|Bajhang]], [[Baitadi District|Baitadi]], and [[Bajura District|Bajura]] were the most affected. Up to 40 people died in the districts and 2,000 were injured. An additional 5,000 families were left without homes.<ref name="USAID">{{cite web |author1=[[United States Agency for International Development]] |title=Disaster Case Report: NEPAL – Earthquake |url=https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PBAAH060.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109035812/https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PBAAH060.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 9, 2022 |publisher=[[Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance]] |location=Washington D.C. |date=29 July 1980}}</ref>

Several major towns in [[Darchula District]] were obliterated. At least 90 schools were totally destroyed in Bajhang. The [[Rastriya Samachar Samiti]] (RSS) reported 12 district official and 21 village buildings, as well as 65 temples were also destroyed. The cost of damage in the district was $10.3 million. Telecommunication services were affected, as did army barracks and police stations suffer damage. The earthquake occurred during the monsoon season which further affected communications and transport services in the aftermath due to [[landslide]]s.<ref name="USAID" />

==See also==
* [[List of earthquakes in 1980]]
* [[List of earthquakes in Nepal]]
* [[List of earthquakes in India]]

==References==
<references>

<ref name="ISC-GEM">{{citation|title=ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1904–2018) |url=http://www.isc.ac.uk/iscgem/index.php|author=ISC|year=2022|publisher=[[International Seismological Centre]]|series=Version 9.1}}</ref>
<ref name=NGDC>{{citation|title=Significant Earthquake Database|url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929000601/http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2006|author=National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS)|publisher=[[National Geophysical Data Center]], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]|doi=10.7289/V5TD9V7K|year=1972|type = Data Set}}</ref>

</references>

==External links==
* {{EQ-isc-link|642643}}

{{Earthquakes in 1980}}
{{Earthquakes in Nepal}}
{{Earthquakes in India}}
{{Himalayan earthquakes}}
{{Disasters in Uttarakhand}}

[[Category:1980 earthquakes]]
[[Category:Disasters in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Earthquakes in Nepal]]
[[Category:Earthquakes in India]]
[[Category:Sudurpashchim Province]]
[[Category:History of Uttarakhand (1947–present)]]
[[Category:July 1980 in Asia]]
[[Category:1980 in Nepal]]
[[Category:1980 in India]]
[[Category:Uttarkashi district]]
[[Category:1980 disasters in India]]
[[Category:1980 disasters in Nepal]]
[[Category:1980s in Uttar Pradesh]]

1980 Nepal earthquake - Revision history

WMLTomoko1917594 at 21:19, 15 March 2026