157 killed as 6.4-magnitude quake jolts western Nepal
Kathmandu, November 4
At least 157 people were killed and over 150 injured when a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake, the worst since 2015, struck Nepal and destroyed hundreds of houses in the Himalayan country’s remote mountainous region, officials said on Saturday. According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with its epicentre in Jajarkot district, about 500 km west of Kathmandu, was recorded at 11.47 pm on Friday. It was the most devastating one in the country since the 2015 earthquake that killed around 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000.
The impact of the quake was felt in Kathmandu and surrounding districts, and even in New Delhi in neighbouring India. The Nepal army mobilised its personnel to carry out rescue works at the incident site, according to army spokesperson Krishna Prasad Bhandari.
Injured may to be shifted to india
- The worst earthquake since 2015 left over 150 people injured. Some injured may be shifted to Indian hospitals, officials said.
- The impact of the quake was felt in Kathmandu and surrounding districts, and even in New Delhi in neighbouring India.
Rescue workers on Saturday dug through the rubble of collapsed houses to find survivors. The Jajarkot and Rukum districts of western Nepal were worst hit by the quake, according to state-run Nepal Television.
The number of those killed in Jajarkot and Rukum due to the earthquake has climbed to 157, according to the Prime Minister’s secretariat. The death toll is expected to rise.
Deputy Mayor Sarita Singh of Nalgadh Municipality in Jajarkot was among those killed. Around 159 aftershocks have been recorded following last night’s earthquake, the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre reported.
Many people spent the night in the open because of fear of further quakes and damage to their houses.
PM Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ toured the quake-hit region with a medical team and gathered information about the extent of the damage and inspected the affected areas.
Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and damage due to the earthquake in Nepal. “India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to extend all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and we wish the injured a quick recovery,” Modi posted on X tagging his counterpart Prachanda.
