Nepal Earthquake
A seismic event of 6.4 magnitude shook Nepal late on Friday, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 129 lives. The earthquake originated in the country’s Jajarkot district and was documented at 11:47 pm, as reported by the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre.
Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal, known as ‘Prachanda’, promptly directed a medical team to the affected area early on Saturday.
Expressing deep condolences for the human and material losses caused by the earthquake at Ramidanda in Jajarkot, the Prime Minister’s Office posted a message on X, affirming Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s immediate mobilization of all three security agencies for the swift rescue and relief of the injured.
In a display of solidarity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences for the lives lost and the widespread damage incurred in Nepal due to the powerful quake. He took to the microblogging site X, expressing his deep sorrow and asserting India’s unwavering support for Nepal. His message extended sympathy to the bereaved families and wished a prompt recovery for the injured.
The devastating earthquake resulted in the loss of at least 128 lives, with 80 casualties reported in Jajarkot and Rukum districts and over 140 individuals sustaining injuries.
To address the immediate medical needs of the affected, four hospitals—Bheri Hospital, Kohalpur Medical College, Nepalgunj military hospital, and Police Hospital—have been designated as dedicated facilities for the earthquake victims. Additional injured individuals are receiving treatment at Surkhet District Hospital.
Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal, ‘Prachanda’, promptly departed on Saturday to survey the affected areas of the country.
To assist in the airlifting of the injured from the affected regions, all helicopter operators have been placed on standby. Normal flight operations have been suspended, and arrangements have been made to station ambulances at Nepalgunj Airport and the military barrack helipad.
Directives have been issued by the prime minister to deploy all security agencies—Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force—to immediately undertake rescue and relief operations.
The most severely affected regions were in western Nepal, particularly in Jajarkot and Rukum, according to state-run Nepal Television. Numerous buildings and structures have been reduced to rubble, impeding rescue and relief efforts due to blocked roads and damaged bridges.
The earthquake, with its epicenter in Jajarkot district at 11:47 pm, had reverberations in some neighboring states of India. Strong tremors were felt in the national capital, New Delhi, late on Friday.
Reported by the US Geological Survey, the earthquake’s tremors struck the far western side of the Himalayan country at a shallow depth of only 18 kilometers (11 miles).
Nepal’s geographic location on a major fault line, where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, is the reason behind its susceptibility to seismic activity. This geological configuration led to the formation of the Himalayas. It’s noteworthy that earthquakes are recurrent events in this Himalayan nation.