Is Earthquake in Nepal and earthquakes in general a punishment from God?

Its like asking whether Death is punishment from God. Why dont people consider
death as punishment from God? Cancer, AIDS, small pox, malaria, TB, typhoid,
STDs, excessive rainfall, traffic deaths, fire and water deaths all have all taken
billions of lives and still no one came up to ask whether they are punishment from
God.
Death is basically an act of end of life owing to natural laws of universe. And no
death in this world is a punishment.

From the perspective of God believers:

Well there is other name for deaths and that is a SIGN or a WARNING. When death
takes place in huge numbers and at one place through natural disasters or
epidemics such SIGNS and WARNINGS become evident and otherwise sleeping
population is awakened who were till now oblivious to daily deaths around them. It is
a sign and not a punishment- a sign for those who reflect.
From the perspective of Islam (and all religions with afterlife)
Punishment by God can only be done once the process of Justice initiates and court
proceedings start. Since court proceedings and witness calling will be done in
afterlife punishment will only be given in afterlife.
ALTHOUGH:
Prophets of God after establishing truth (itmam-e-hujjat) to their nation and giving
ultimatum and warning to the ignorant and arrogant people do become witness to
Gods punishment on earth also.
The case of Noah, Saleh, Loot, Musa and Muhammad among others who were all
witness to Gods puishment to their nation are the cases in perspective. Musa and
Muhammad though did not witness the punishment of God to their nations through
natural disasters but were the givers of punishment of God through their swords.
Muhammad gave ultimatum of 4 months to the arrogant idol worshippers and that
ultimatum was emobledened 50 days before the real punishment during the last Hajj
of Muhammad where the almost entire population was given the message in the
absence of any mass media conclusion of which led to the deaths of all arrogants
(Kill them wherever you find them) except a large number of idol worshippers who
accepted the unity of God, prayed and gave zakat.