In the wake of Saturday鈥檚 magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Nepal, there have been at least a dozen aftershocks of magnitude 5聽or higher聽and another two dozen between magnitude 4.5 and 5, .听
The earthquake released stresses that had been building up for 150 years. Now there is a danger that the aftershocks could rupture faults adjacent to the one at the heart of Saturday鈥檚 quake. That could bring another devastating quake while the region is still scrambling to respond to the first.
There鈥檚 a 1 to 2聽percent chance that an aftershock in the next couple years could be bigger than the original quake, according to NPR. There鈥檚 also a record of two large quakes in quick succession in the region, so a 鈥渢win quake鈥 would not be unprecedented, according to ,聽scientist emeritus at the U.S. Geological Survey.