Another earthquake of 3.6 magnitude strikes Nepal after Friday's tremors kill 157 people

The latest 3.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at 04:38 am today at a depth of 10 km, 169 km NW of Kathmandu, the National Centre for Seismology informed. On Saturday, a 4.2-magnitude aftershocks hit Nepal preceded by the devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Friday that has resulted in over 157 fatalities.

Kathmandu [Nepal] : Yet another earthquake of 3.6 magnitude shook Nepal in the early hours of Sunday even as the Himalayan nation is still grappling with the devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake that has resulted in over 157 fatalities. Today's earthquake occurred at 04:38:20 (IST) at a depth of 10 km, 169 km NW of Kathmandu, the National Centre for Seismology informed.

"Earthquake of Magnitude: 3.6, Occurred on 05-11-2023, 04:38:20 IST, Lat: 28.63 & Long: 83.94, Depth: 10 Km, Location: 169 km NW of Kathmandu, Nepal," NCS posted on X (formerly Twitter). This comes after a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on Richter Scale jolted Nepal in the late hours of Saturday.

This was followed by additional aftershocks, with a magnitude of 3.3, on Saturday afternoon, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the affected population and testing the resilience of the region. Earlier in the day, Nepal Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, assessed the situation visited the affected regions, acknowledging the extensive damage.

In response, the government has mobilised the Nepal Army, Nepali Sentinel, and the Armed Police Force to conduct rescue operations via helicopters. Health workers are also being rapidly deployed, equipped with essential medical supplies sourced from surrounding districts.

On Saturday, a 4.2-magnitude tremor was recorded in Nepal. It took place a day after the Himalayan nation's worst earthquake in eight years that killed 157 people in the country's remote mountainous region. The aftershock was recorded in Jajarkot district at 3:40 PM on Saturday. According to the National Earthquake Monitoring Centre, the aftershock was of 4.2-magnitude and its epicenter was Ramidanda. This tremor was an aftershock of the earthquake that occurred on Friday night.

Nepal on Friday was jolted after an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude struck the Jajarkot district, about 500km west of Kathmandu. It was recorded at 11:47 p.m. Friday's earthquake is the most devastating one in Nepal since the 2015 earthquake that killed around 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000 others.

"There has been a lot of damage in the earthquake-affected area. Hundreds of people are injured, thousands of houses have been destroyed, and our government is engaged in relief work. We have deployed the Nepali Army, Nepali Sentinel. The Armed Police Force has been given the responsibility of taking all the injured to the hospitals for rescue through helicopters," said the Nepal PM.

India, Nepal's neighbouring nation, has extended support during this challenging period. Following the initial earthquake, India released an emergency contact number for Indians in Nepal requiring urgent assistance. Alert Emergency Contact Number for Indians requiring assistance due to the recent earthquake in Nepal: +977-9851316807 MEA India," the Indian Embassy in Nepal posted on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal. PM Modi offered support to Nepal and expressed India's willingness to extend all possible assistance. The earthquake's impact has not been confined to Nepal alone. Tremors were felt in several districts of North India, including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. (with agency inputs)