US analysis confirms massive landslide in Nepal, not earthquake

A comprehensive analysis by the US Geological Survey (USGS) has concluded that seismic signals recorded in Nepal originated from a massive landslide, not an earthquake as initially reported. This natural disaster has devastated northern Nepal, with preliminary reports indicating over 100 deaths and close to a thousand people missing.

The USGS, based in Virginia, clarified in an update that a detailed review of long-period seismic waves ruled out a tectonic origin for the phenomenon. Following this finding, the agency revised the event's magnitude from 4.4 to 5.2 and officially classified it as a landslide. The USGS also adjusted the epicenter's location to approximately 55 kilometers northwest of Kodari, using satellite imagery analysis.

This landslide compounds the severe flooding already impacting northern Nepal, particularly in the Rasuwa district within the Bagmati province. Local authorities have reported at least 160 fatalities and nearly a thousand individuals still unaccounted for due to the environmental emergency. The disaster highlights the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to extreme weather events and geological instability.