Over 128 Perish as Powerful Earthquake Strikes Northwestern Nepal, Death Toll Expected to Escalate

In the wake of a potent earthquake that struck northwestern Nepal shortly before the stroke of midnight on Friday, emergency response teams comprising helicopters and ground forces have been dispatched to offer aid. The calamity has so far claimed the lives of at least 128 individuals and inflicted injuries on scores, according to official reports from Saturday.

Officials have projected an increase in the fatality count as numerous areas remain inaccessible due to disrupted communication channels.

With the arrival of daylight, rescue operations intensified as helicopters were deployed into the affected areas, and security personnel on the scene engaged in the extraction of casualties and fatalities from the debris, stated Nepal Police spokesperson Kuber Kadayat.

Military units have been actively removing debris to clear pathways and mountainous routes obstructed by the landslides caused by the tremors. In a concerted effort, helicopters also transported medical staff and supplies to local medical facilities.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal made an immediate visit to the region aboard a helicopter, accompanied by a medical team. Notably, Dahal had been at the forefront of an armed communist insurgency from 1996 to 2006, which originated in the very districts now ravaged by the earthquake.

In the Jajarkot district, positioned at the epicenter of the earthquake, the death toll has reached 92, with an additional 55 individuals reported injured, Kadayat confirmed.

Adjacent Rukum district reported 36 fatalities, with many residential structures reduced to ruins. The local hospital has already provided care for at least 85 injured individuals.

Throughout the night, amidst the engulfing darkness, security personnel collaborated with local communities to retrieve those buried under the rubble.

The quake, which occurred as many residents were asleep in their homes, was powerful enough to be perceived in India’s capital of New Delhi, situated over 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the epicenter.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 with a depth of 11 miles. The National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center of Nepal pinpointed the epicenter near Jajarkot, approximately 400 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu.

Nepal, a nation characterized by its mountainous terrain, is no stranger to seismic activity. A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 resulted in approximately 9,000 deaths and damaged close to a million buildings.

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• Nepal Earthquake Casualty Update
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• Prime Minister Dahal’s Earthquake Crisis Management
• Seismic Activity in Nepal
• International Impact of Nepal Quake
• History of Earthquakes in Nepal