The death toll is rising after a 6.4 magnitude disaster struck the Himalayan country late Friday
At least 128 people were killed, and over 140 others were injured after a strong earthquake hit a remote pocket of Nepal, officials said early on Saturday.
The epicenter of the quake, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Centre of Nepal, was recorded near Ramidanda village in Nepal’s Jajarkot district some 400km (250 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu. The tremors were felt in several parts of northern India as well, including in the national capital, New Delhi.
Several urban centers in Nepal, such as Bheri, Nalgad, Kushe, Barekot and Chedagad have been hit particularly hard in Jajarkot district, ANI news agency reported. Chief District Officer Suresh Sunar said all the security forces in the district have been mobilized in the search and rescue work.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his condolences over the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake, his office announced. The PM mobilized all of the country’s security agencies for the immediate rescue and relief of the injured. On Saturday morning, he headed towards the incident site.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday morning to express his grief over the disaster. “Deeply saddened by 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,” he wrote.
Nepal is particularly prone to earthquakes as it lies on the ridge between the Indian and the Eurasian tectonic plates that are constantly shifting.
The hilly country was hit by a devastating 7.8-magnitude quake in 2015, killing nearly 9,000 people and destroying more than half a million homes. Last year, Six people died after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Doti district, near Jajarkot.
