World
Death toll from earthquake in Nepal rises to 128, India PM assures all possible help
KATHMANDU — The death toll from a strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Nepal has risen to 128 as the rescue operation is going on, government officials said on Saturday.
The shallow quake hit Jajarkot and Rukum West districts at 11:47 p.m. on Friday night, which also injured 140 others, Nepal Police spokesman Kuber Kadayat told Xinhua news agency.
Last night, a 6.4 earthquake shook Jajarkot and West Rukum of the Karnali province, with 100+ ppl dead & many injured.
— WFP Nepal (@WFP_Nepal) November 4, 2023
Tog/w the government, UN & humanitarian partners, @WFP is working to mobilize relief support from the humanitarian staging area in Surkhet, KTM & across #Nepal. pic.twitter.com/LgKotcou55
It is difficult for the rescue teams to reach some places as bridges were damaged, and roads were blocked by landslides triggered by the quake, he said.
The depth of the earthquake is between 10 to 15 km, and an additional four aftershocks above magnitude 4.0 have been recorded by Saturday morning, according to Lok Bijay Adhikari from Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre.
“The aftershocks continue,” he added.
The Nepali government is focusing on the rescue and treatment of the injured after the earthquake.
“The rescue and treatment of the injured is the first priority,” Home Ministry spokesman Narayan Prasad Bhattarai told Xinhua.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal went to the affected area on Saturday morning along with health workers, and helicopters were being mobilised for the rescue operation, he said.
“We have not yet taken details about houses and other infrastructure damaged as the focus is to rescue,” said Bhattarai.
“So far, there is no report of casualties from other districts.”
In October, three quakes above magnitude 4.0 jolted the Dhading district in central Nepal, with one measuring 6.1-magnitude.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in 2015 killed some 9,000 people and damaged more than half a million houses in the Himalayan country.
India ready to extend all possible help, says PM Modi
NEW DELHI — Condoling the death of people due to the massive earthquake on Friday night in Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that India stands in solidarity with its people and is ready to extend all possible assistance.
“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,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X, tagging Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
At least 69 people were killed and dozens were injured on midnight Friday when a 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit western Nepal, officials said.
The earthquake jolted the western Jajarkot district at around 2:02 a.m. local time Saturday (1802 GMT Friday) with a depth of 18 km, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the US Geological Survey.
The quake killed at least 35 people in Rukum district and 34 others in neighbouring Jajarkot district, officials said.
Read more stories: Delhi sees surge in number of people with eye, throat, respiratory issues