A powerful earthquake struck northwestern Nepal just before midnight on Friday, claiming the lives of at least 128 people and leaving dozens more injured. Authorities fear the death toll may rise as communication remains severed in many areas affected by the quake.
Rescue efforts intensified with the arrival of helicopters flying into the region and ground forces working tirelessly to unearth survivors from the rubble of collapsed houses. Nepal police spokesman Kuber Kadayat reported that ground troops were also clearing blocked roads and mountain trails caused by landslides triggered by the earthquake. Helicopters delivered medical workers and essential medicines to hospitals in the affected areas.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, arrived on a helicopter with a team of doctors to assess the situation and coordinate relief efforts.
In the epicenter, Jajarkot district, 92 people were confirmed dead and 55 others injured, according to police. The neighbouring Rukum district witnessed the collapse of numerous houses, resulting in at least 36 fatalities and 85 injured individuals being transported to local hospitals.
At the regional hospital in Nepalgunj, over 100 beds were made available, and medical teams stood ready to assist the injured. Bimal Kumar Karki, a survivor, recounted the terror of the quake, stating, “I was fast asleep when all of a sudden it started shaking violently. I tried to run but the whole house collapsed.”
The US Geological Survey reported a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 for the earthquake, occurring at a depth of 11 miles. The tremors reached as far as India’s capital, New Delhi, over 800 kilo-meters (500 miles) away.
