Nepal has been hit by a deadly earthquake, leading to the loss of at least 69 lives. The tremor, which originated in the northwestern districts of the country, was powerful enough to be felt in distant New Delhi.
The U.S. Geological Survey has reported the earthquake’s preliminary magnitude as 5.6, with its epicenter located at a depth of 11 miles. Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center has pinpointed the epicenter at Jajarkot, situated approximately 250 miles northeast of Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.
The quake struck late in the night on Friday, November 3, 2023, catching many residents off-guard in their sleep. Eyewitness accounts describe collapsing houses and severed communication lines in several villages. The tremor’s intensity was such that it caused buildings hundreds of miles away to shake.
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Local authorities are grappling to establish contact with the epicenter in Jajarkot. Preliminary reports indicate 17 fatalities in the district alone. Additionally, at least 20 individuals have been rushed to hospitals with injuries. Officials have cautioned that the death toll is likely to rise, given that many villages remain cut off from communication.
According to Reuter, local official Harish Chandra Sharma of Jajarkot said that at least 34 people had died in his district, while police official Namaraj Bhattarai of the adjoining Rukum West district reported at least 35 deaths.
This calamitous event has plunged the nation into a state of shock and mourning. Rescue operations are in full swing, and international aid is anticipated to be mobilized to provide relief to the affected regions.