Nepal: Earthquake death toll touches 157; tremors felt in Bihar, UP and NCR

At least 157 people were killed and over 160 injured when a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal just before midnight on Friday, destroying hundreds of houses in the Himalayan nation’s remote mountainous region in the most devastating tremor since 2015.

According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with an epicentre in Jajarkot district, about 500 km west of Kathmandu, was recorded at 11.47 pm.

It is the most devastating earthquake in the country since the 2015 earthquake that killed around 9,000 people in the country and injured more than 22,000 people.

The impact of the quake was felt in Kathmandu and surrounding districts, and even in New Delhi in neighbouring India.

Army mobilised for rescue work

The Nepal Army mobilised its personnel soon after the earthquake to carry out rescue works at the incident site, according to Nepal Army spokesperson Krishna Prasad Bhandari.

The Jajarkot and Rukum districts of western Nepal were worst hit by the quake, according to state-run Nepal Television. The number of those killed in Jajarkot and Rukum due to the earthquake has climbed to 140, according to the Prime Minister’s secretariat. An equal number of people were injured in the incident. The death toll is expected to rise.

Deputy Mayor Sarita Singh of Nalgadh Municipality in Jajarkot was among those killed in the quake, officials said.

Around 159 aftershocks have been recorded following last night's earthquake, the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center reported.

Many people spent the night in the open because of fear of further quakes and damage to their houses. People were seen digging through the rubble in the dark to rescue trapped people from the remains of collapsed buildings, according to posts on social media.

PM visits quake-hit region

Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Saturday toured the quake-hit region with a medical team. During the visit, he gathered information about the extent of the damage and conducted an inspection of the affected areas alongside the Chief District Officer. Later, he returned to Surkhet from Jajarkot, along with seven injured people and their family members.

“Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property in the earthquake on Friday night and has mobilised all the three security bodies for the immediate rescue and relief,” reads a post from the prime minister’s office on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the 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,” Modi posted on X tagging his counterpart Prachanda.

Tremors across North India

The quake has sent waves of tremors across North India, including New Delhi. "The tremors were felt for quite some time as we were watching television and enjoying the weekend," said Inderjit Singh, a resident of Gurugram.

Gopal, a resident of Ghaziabad, said the tremors were felt for more than 15 seconds. "I could also hear the window panes rattling". Tremors were felt across north India and parts of Bihar. This is the third time in a month that strong quakes have struck Nepal.

The latest earthquake was also felt in parts of Noida and Greater Noida, adjoining Delhi, prompting several people living in high-rises to rush out of their buildings. "The tremors felt really strong. The feeling was scary," said Pratyush Singh, a resident of a group housing society in Sector 76 Noida.

People also took to social media to share videos of moving articles like fans and chandeliers due to the tremors. Some also carried their pet cats and dogs with them as they rushed out of their houses during the quake. "I first thought the tremors were because of a passing vehicle, but soon saw the ceiling fan shaking. It went on for a while," said Rupesh Upadhyay, a resident of a high-rise apartment in Noida.

Strong tremors were felt in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including the state capital Lucknow, according to the office of state's relief commissioner. Reports of tremors being felt have also come from districts such as Basti, Barabanki, Firozabad, Amethi, Gonda, Pratapgarh, Bhadohi, Bahraich, Gorakhpur and Deoria.

Several places in Bihar were also jolted by the earthquake. Apart from the state capital Patna, the tremors were felt in Katihar, Motihari and several other districts along the India-Nepal border. Panic-stricken people in Patna and Katihar rushed out of their buildings and enquired about the earthquake from others.

(With agency inputs)