Overview of the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, Earthquake and the Earthquake Spectra Special Issue

On 25 April 2015, a M_w7.8 earthquake struck near Gorka, Nepal. The earthquake and its aftershocks caused over 8,790 deaths and 22,300 injuries; a half a million homes were destroyed; and hundreds of historical and cultural monuments were destroyed or extensively damaged (NPC 2015). Triggered landslides blocked access to road networks, and other lifelines were significantly impacted. Damage occurred in the capital of Kathmandu and the surrounding valley basin, but the most heavily affected areas were in more rural regions of central Nepal where losses to some towns were severe. Recovery has been slow, but progress is being made in rebuilding and repairing lost and damaged buildings and infrastructure. This Earthquake Spectra special issue provides a compendium of research papers on the Gorkha earthquake. They are organized into five topics: (1) seismology, ground motion, and geotechnical issues; (2) lifelines; (3) buildings; (4) cultural heritage structures; and (5) social science and public policy related topics. This overview summarizes key aspects of the earthquake and highlights findings from the special issue papers.