Two earthquakes, measuring 5.3 and 6.3 on the Richter scale, hit western Nepal this afternoon
New Delhi:
The 6.2 intensity earthquake that hit Nepal this afternoon has left behind a trail of massive destruction, bringing back horrifying flashbacks of the 7.8-magnitude quake that hit capital city Kathmandu in 2015.
Several buildings in the Bajhang district, in west Nepal close to Uttarakhand, have suffered major damages. Homes have collapsed, parts of buildings have crumbled and several more developed dangerous cracks fom the impact of the quake that struck at a depth of just five km. Massive cracks exposed the structural frames of several buildings.
Two successive earthquakes, measuring 5.3 and 6.3, hit western Nepal this afternoon. There are no reports of casualties so far.
According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, the first earthquake measuring 5.3 magnitude was recorded at 2:40 pm, which was followed by another of 6.3 magnitude at 3:06 pm in the Bajhang district.
Tremors from the quakes were felt not just in the country but also in Delhi and its adjoining areas. People were seen running out of buildings in the national capital, Gurgaon and in Noida.
Nepal falls in one of the most active tectonic zones of the world, making it extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. In 2015, a devastating 7.8 magnitude quake hit Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and wounding another 22,000. Over 800,000 houses and school buildings were damaged.
