In a heart-wrenching turn of events, more than 100 lives have lost by a powerful earthquake that rocked the isolated regions of western Nepal on Friday. The epicenter of this natural disaster is situated some 500 kilometers (310 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, in the rugged districts of Jajarkot and West Rukum.
As the earth trembled and shook, the impact reverberated far beyond the remote areas, with strong tremors reaching the bustling city of Kathmandu and even extending into neighboring India, particularly Delhi. This seismic event has sent shockwaves of grief and concern across the region.
Rescue efforts are underway, with security forces mobilized to assist in the affected regions. The grim toll reported so far includes more than 100 fatalities, and the injured have overwhelmed Jajarkot's hospital, which is tirelessly working to provide critical care to the wounded.
The horror of the earthquake continued to haunt the affected populace as three more tremors struck within an hour of the initial quake. Fearful of additional seismic activities and structural damage to their homes, many spent the night outdoors.
Local media captured the devastation as multi-storied brick houses crumbled, leaving survivors and rescuers desperately searching through the debris in darkness. Social media posts conveyed the heart-wrenching scenes of people coming together to extract survivors from the ruins of collapsed buildings.
Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has swiftly responded to this calamity, traveling to the affected region. He expressed profound sorrow at the tragic loss of both lives and property, pledging to initiate immediate rescue and relief operations through security agencies.
However, these crucial search and rescue operations are facing significant hindrances due to landslides blocking roads, triggered by the earthquake. The police chief of Jajarkot district, Suresh Sunar, conveyed the challenges faced in comprehending the full scope of the disaster due to the remote areas' inaccessibility.
The earthquake struck at 23:47 local time (18:02 GMT), as reported by Nepal's Monitoring and Research Centre. The United States Geological Survey measured the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.6, characterizing it as a shallow earthquake, signifying its proximity to the Earth's surface.
Nepal's geographical location along the seismic Himalayan belt places it at the mercy of frequent seismic activity. This latest catastrophe serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present risk in this region and the resilience required to overcome its aftermath.
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