At least 143 people were killed and several others injured when a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal just before midnight on Friday, destroying hundreds of houses in the Himalayan country's remote mountainous region in the most devastating tremor since 2015.
According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with an epicentre in Jajarkot district, about 500km west of Kathmandu, was recorded at 11:47 pm, PTI reported.
It is the most devastating earthquake in the country since the 2015 earthquake that killed around 9,000 people in the country and injured more than 22,000 people.
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake had its epicentre at the Jajarkot district's Lamidanda.
The impact of the quake that took place 11.47 pm Friday was felt in Kathmandu and surrounding districts, and even up to New Delhi in neighbouring India.
Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda' headed towards the incident site with a medical team Saturday morning. Both Nepal Army and Nepal Police personnel have been mobilized to carry out rescue works, officials said.
AP reported 69 people have been left dead while dozens have been injured as rescuers searched mountain villages.
The report quoting officials said early Saturday that the toll was expected to rise, noting that communications were cut off with many places.
The quake, which hit when many people already were asleep in their homes, was felt in India's capital, New Delhi, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) away, it said.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at a depth of 11 miles. Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center said its epicentre was at Jajarkot, which is about 250 miles northeast of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, it mentioned.
The quake killed at least 35 people in Rukum district, where numerous houses collapsed, police official Narvaraj Bhattarai said over the telephone. Thirty injured people already had been brought to the local hospital, Bhattarai said.
In neighbouring Jajarkot district, 34 people were confirmed dead, government administration official Harish Chandra Sharma said.
He said security officials were working with villagers in the darkness to pull the dead and injured from fallen houses. But he added that reaching some spots was difficult because some of the trails were blocked by landslides triggered by the tremor and its aftershocks.
Earthquakes are common in mountainous Nepal. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 killed some 9,000 people and damaged about 1 million structures.
How did Nepal administration respond?
President Ramchandra Paudel has expressed sadness over the loss of human lives and property in the earthquake.
According to the Office of the President, he has appealed to the government and all concerned to ensure effective rescue and relief work in the quake-affected areas.
As the roads were blocked and bridges damaged, rescue and relief works on the incident site have been obstructed, according to officials.
The government has authorised the immediate disbursement of Rs 100 million to aid the earthquake victims.
Additionally, the Home Ministry decided to allocate Rs 5.5 million to the disaster relief funds of both the Jajarkot and Rukum West districts, aiming to support the rescue and relief operations for the affected individuals.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has dispatched initial relief supplies via the Nepali Army's helicopters.
The Nepali Congress party has also announced Rs5 million in financial support to the government to help in the search, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts.
Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has said the government will provide free treatment to those injured in the earthquake.
PM Modi expresses condolences:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he is "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives and damage due to the powerful earthquake in Nepal.
After the magnitude 6.4 earthquake, that struck a remote region of Nepal late Friday and killed at least 128 people, PM Modi said that India "stands in solidarity" with the people of Nepal.
"Deeply saddened by loss of lives and damage due to the earthquake in Nepal. India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to extend all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and we wish the injured a quick recovery," he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
