In Nepal, following the most severe earthquake in eight years, which claimed the lives of 137 people and caused buildings to tremble as far as New Delhi, rescue workers commenced the arduous task of sifting through the debris of collapsed houses on Saturday.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.4, struck at 11:47 p.m. on Friday, as reported by Nepal's National Seismological Centre. However, the German Research Centre for Geosciences measured it as 5.7, a downgrade from 6.2, while the U.S. Geological Survey estimated it as 5.6.
This earthquake marked the deadliest event since 2015 when two earthquakes in Nepal resulted in the loss of approximately 9,000 lives. Those disasters reduced entire towns, ancient temples, and historical sites to ruins, with over a million houses destroyed, incurring an economic cost of $6 billion.
Authorities are concerned that the death toll could rise as first responders reached the hilly area near the epicenter, which is approximately 500 km (300 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, only early on Saturday and began searching for survivors.
Jajarkot district official Harish Chandra Sharma stated, "The number of injured could be in the hundreds, and the death toll could also increase." In terms of casualties, 92 people were reported killed in Jajarkot and 36 in the neighboring Rukum West district, both located in Karnali province.
The epicenter was situated in the village of Ramidanda. Rukum West had at least 85 injured individuals, and Jajarkot reported 55, with an additional 50 people receiving medical attention in Jajarkot alone. The widespread destruction prompted numerous residents to spend the night outside in open areas, as many houses had either collapsed or developed significant cracks due to the aftershocks.
Efforts in search and rescue were impeded by landslides triggered by the earthquake, necessitating the clearing of blocked roads. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal arrived in the affected region early on Saturday, accompanied by a 16-member army medical team, to supervise search, rescue, and relief operations.
Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life and property, Prime Minister Dahal utilized a social media platform to order security agencies to initiate immediate rescue and relief operations.
Media footage depicted the damaged facades of multi-story brick houses, along with scattered pieces of furniture, and people evacuating some buildings as a precaution. Police officials and local residents reported the chaos and fear that ensued as the earthquake struck.