USGS predicts stronger quakes this week

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) yesterday said that though probability of future aftershocks in Nepal was lower than its forecast for previous week, stronger tremors for the week could not be ruled out.

“Within the week of May 20 to May 26, the USGS estimates that the chance of at least one magnitude of 5 to 6 is about 40% and up to three such events are likely to occur,” the US body said in its latest weekly advisory for Nepal. Chances of aftershocks of magnitude 6 to 7 or higher were much less.

The earthquake on April and several strong aftershocks since then, the most notable of them occurring on May 12, have killed over 8,600 people and injured over 21,000 in central-eastern parts of Nepal.

A visiting geologist, Dr Roger Bilham of University of Colorado in Boulder, US, said that since the recent earthquake in Nepal did not rupture, chances of stringer aftershocks could not be ruled out. “The recent earthquake in Nepal was strange; the rupture should have occurred and released energy, but it didn't,” Dr Bilham said at a talk program in the capital.

Meanwhile, Nepal imposed a two-month moratorium on the start of new building projects and limited current construction to two storeys after recent deadly earthquakes destroyed nearly half a million homes.

Officials said the move would give authorities time to review building standards in the wake of a 7.8-magnitude quake on April 25 and a smaller one last week that reduced much of the capital Kathmandu to rubble.

Other rural areas were also left in ruins by the two quakes.

Buildings already under construction will be restricted to two storeys until a new government committee comes up with recommendations to revise the current building code by mid-July, Bhattarai told AFP.

Nepal has a history of earthquakes, with a disaster in 1934 also reducing much of Kathmandu to rubble.

The government has set aside $200 million for a national reconstruction and rehabilitation fund, and has asked the international community to contribute a further $1.8 billion towards rebuilding.