An earthquake and several powerful aftershocks yesterday hit devastated Nepal, killing at least 36 people and sending terrified residents running into the streets of the traumatized capital.
The magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck at 12:35pm, about 76km east of Kathmandu, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, more than two weeks after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, which killed more than 8,000 people.
Yesterday’s earthquake was felt as far away as New Delhi, and officials said it caused buildings to collapse in Chinese-controlled Tibet.
Photo: EPA
A magnitude 6.3 tremor struck about 30 minutes later, followed by aftershocks, according to the USGS.
Nepal’s home ministry put the death toll at at least 36, with 1,117 people injured.
All the deaths were in the Chautara District, east of Kathmandu, which suffered huge damage in the April 25 disaster.
The ground swayed for almost a minute from the first tremor yesterday, and sirens wailed, according to a reporter in Kathmandu.
“There were huge crowds running up and down,” said Suresh Sharma, a resident who was in a vegetable market at the time. “It was very scary and very difficult to make my way out. The last time we had a big quake I ran out of my house and barely escaped. This one felt just like that one. I cannot believe it is happening again,” the 63-year-old added.
Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, the main entry point for flights bringing in international aid since the April quake, was closed yesterday as a precaution.
Nepalese police urged people to stay outside and avoid jamming the fragile cellphone network.
Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Centre tweeted: “Pray to Almighty: Keep all Nepalese Safe in this difficult period of time.”
Earlier yesterday, the Nepalese army rescued 117 people from three remote mountain villages north of the capital, Kathmandu, including two US citizens who had been searching for a missing relative, a military official said yesterday.
The 115 Nepalese and two Americans were evacuated on Monday from Syanjen, Kenjing and Langtang villages, where hundreds of people were killed in a huge landslide and avalanche triggered by last month’s earthquake.
All of those rescued were stranded in the three popular trekking villages in Rasuwa District, about 60km north of Kathmandu, after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on April 25, killing at least 8,046 people and injuring more than 17,800.
Avalanches and bad weather in the area had slowed the military’s efforts to reach those cut off.
“The entire Langtang Valley has turned into a rocky and snowy ruin due to avalanches,” Rasuwa District administrator Uddhav Bhattarai said.
On Sunday, the continuing avalanche risk led officials to suspend their search for about 200 bodies believed to be buried beneath the rock and snow in Langtang Village.
As of Monday, 128 bodies had been recovered there.
“Rescuers have been unable to go there to look for bodies since the weekend because avalanches continue to fall and make it dangerous,” Bhattarai said.
The US citizens rescued on Monday were with a Nepalese guide and were brought to the district capital of Dhunche along with the Nepalese who were rescued, a military official said.
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