Thousands of fear-stricken people spent the night outdoors after a new earthquake killed at least 76 people and injured 2,700 others, spreading more misery in Nepal, which is still reeling from a devastating quake that killed more than 8,000 people nearly three weeks ago.
A US Marine Corps helicopter carrying six marines and two Nepalese soldiers was reported missing while delivering disaster aid in northeastern Nepal, US officials said, although there have been no indications that the aircraft crashed.
Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman Laxmi Dhakal yesterday said that army helicopters were scouring the Sunkhani area, nearly 80km northeast of Kathmandu, for the missing helicopter.
Tuesday’s magnitude 7.3 quake, centered between Kathmandu and Mount Everest, struck hardest in the foothills of the Himalayas and triggered landslides that blocked roads to remote villages in several districts. Most of the people confirmed dead by yesterday morning were in Dolakha District, northeast of Kathmandu, district head administrator Prem Lal Lamichane said.
The Tuesday quake battered Chautara, a foothills town that became a hub for rescuers and humanitarian aid after the first earthquake.
Officials there said at least three people had died on Tuesday and more than 60 were injured.
Tremors radiated across parts of Asia. In India, at least 16 people were confirmed dead after rooftops or walls collapsed onto them, according to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. Chinese media reported one death in Tibet.
In Washington, US Navy Captain Chris Sims said the missing Huey helicopter was conducting disaster relief operations near the Nepalese town of Charikot.
Due to the rugged terrain, the helicopter could have landed in an area where the crew was unable to get a beacon or radio signal out, US Army Colonel Steve Warren said.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said a total of 27 Taiwanese were known to have been in Nepal when the earthquake hit, with four remaining unaccounted for as of 9am yesterday.
The ministry said the information on Taiwanese in Nepal was obtained from its outposts at the request of the travelers’ family members and friends.
The four who have not been contacted include one Taiwanese who has remained unaccounted for since the April 25 earthquake, the ministry said.
Citing immigration information provided by Nepalese and Indian authorities, the ministry said the individual is likely in India.
The ministry said its red travel alert for Nepal remained in place, and it urged Taiwanese not to visit the nation, where aftershocks continue.
Meanwhile, three Taiwanese religious and medical groups helping with relief efforts in Nepal were all reported safe in the wake of the recent temblor.
Additional reporting by CNA
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