1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquakeवि.सं. १३१२ को महाभूकम्प
The first historically documented earthquake in Nepal. Medieval chronicles record that roughly one-third of the Kathmandu Valley's population perished, including King Abhaya Malla, who died of his injuries six days after the shock.
See how this event fits into Nepal's wider history, and explore the districts across the affected region.
Magnitude
~Mw 7.7 (est.)
see note below
Deaths
—
≈⅓ of the Valley's population (exact toll not reliably documented)
Date
7 June 1255
Epicentre
Kathmandu Valley (approximate)
approximate (historical)
Magnitude note: Estimated from damage descriptions in the Gopalraj Vamshavali chronicle; no instrumental record exists.
Epicentre in context
The highlighted circle is this event; the others show Nepal's full major-earthquake record.
Impact
Roughly one third of the Kathmandu Valley's population was killed according to the Gopalraj Vamshavali, the medieval chronicle that records the event.
King Abhaya Malla of the early Malla dynasty was fatally injured and died six days after the earthquake — Nepal's only monarch known to have been killed by an earthquake.
Temples, dwellings and palace buildings across the Valley collapsed; the chronicle records aftershocks continuing for about four months.
Where sources disagree
- Some later compilations quote ≈30,000 deaths, but no independent record verifies a count; Amarnepal reports the chronicle's proportional description instead.
Amarnepal states ranges rather than inventing a single figure when credible sources differ.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake?+
The 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake had a magnitude of ~Mw 7.7 (est.). Estimated from damage descriptions in the Gopalraj Vamshavali chronicle; no instrumental record exists.
When did the 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake happen?+
It struck on 7 June 1255.
How many people died in the 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake?+
Deaths: ≈⅓ of the Valley's population (exact toll not reliably documented).
Where was the epicentre of the 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake?+
The epicentre was at Kathmandu Valley (approximate) (approximate, reconstructed from historical records), at coordinates 27.7°N, 85.3°E.
Sources & data note
Figures for the 1255 Kathmandu Valley earthquake as documented by the listed sources. Historical epicentres are approximate.