Nepal shook with two earthquakes on Sunday, highlighting the area’s vulnerability to seismic activity because of its complicated tectonic environment.
The National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported that the recent earthquake was of 3.9 magnitude that hit at 14 km depth, which means more chances of aftershocks. In an X post, NCS wrote, “EQ of M: 3.9, On: 30/06/2025 08:24:21 IST, Lat: 29.24 N, Long: 81.77 E, Depth: 14 Km, Location: Nepal.”
Earlier in the day, the area had already been rocked by another 4.2 Richter-scale earthquake. This was at a depth of 10 km. Reporting via social media, the NCS tweeted, “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.”
Experts caution that superficial earthquakes such as these tend to be more dangerous than deeper ones. As they are dumping energy nearer the Earth’s surface, they produce more intense ground shaking and can lead to more structural damage and fatalities. In contrast, deeper earthquakes lose energy on its way to the surface, often minimizing their effects.
Nepal’s location makes it very used to such earthquakes. It is located on a converging boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates force against each other. This continuous colliding creates immense pressure and stress, which periodically gets released as earthquakes. It is also located in a subduction zone where the Indian Plate is being pushed under the Eurasian Plate. This not only raises the Himalayan mountains but also causes immense strain and frequent seismic activity.
The ongoing interaction of these tectonic forces along the Himalayan belt guarantees that Nepal is always an earthquake hotspot, reinforcing the need for preparedness and resilient infrastructure along the region.
