Magnitude 5.6 earthquake… Detected in New Delhi, India, 800km away
The death toll from the earthquake that struck northwestern Nepal exceeds 150.
According to reports from foreign media such as AP, New York Times (NYT), and BBC on the 4th (local time), at least 150 people were killed and hundreds were injured in a strong earthquake that occurred in the Jajarkot region of Karnali Province, western Nepal, at 11:47 p.m. the previous day. Jajarkot is about 400-500km west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the magnitude of this earthquake to be 5.6 and the depth to be 17.7 km. The earthquake was also felt in New Delhi, the Indian capital, more than 800 km away from Jajarkot. Three more tremors were detected within an hour after the earthquake.
The earthquake occurred around midnight while residents were asleep. The injured person, Bimal Kumar Karki, said, “He was in a sleeping state and suddenly his body was shaken violently. “When we tried to evacuate, the whole house collapsed,” he said. “Half of his body was buried in the rubble.”
Authorities believe that the number of casualties may increase as communications are gradually restored.
Casualties mainly occurred in Jajarkot and the nearby Rukum district.
Rescue authorities rushed to the quake-hit mountain village to clear roads blocked by landslides and debris.
Earthquakes occur relatively frequently in Nepal, which has many mountainous areas. In 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed over 9,000 people and injured 22,309. One million buildings were damaged.
The estimated economic damage to Nepal at the time from the earthquake was in the billions of dollars.
Neighboring country India expressed its intention to provide rescue support. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social networking service (SNS), “India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal,” and added, “We are ready to extend all possible support.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.