A robust earthquake hits northwestern Nepal : NPR

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Helicopters and floor troops rushed to assist individuals damage in a powerful earthquake that shook northwestern Nepal districts simply earlier than midnight Friday, killing at the very least 128 individuals and injuring dozens extra, officers mentioned Saturday.

Authorities mentioned the loss of life toll was anticipated to rise, noting that communications have been reduce off with many locations.

As day broke, rescue helicopters flew into the area to assist out and safety forces on the bottom have been digging out the injured and useless from the rubble, Nepal police spokesman Kuber Kadayat mentioned.

Troops have been clearing roads and mountain trails that have been blocked by landslides triggered by the earthquake. Helicopters flew in medical staff and medicines to the hospitals there.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal additionally flew in on a helicopter with a workforce of medical doctors. Dahal led an armed communist revolt in 1996-2006 that started from the districts that have been hit by the quake.

In Jajarkot district, the place the quake’s epicenter was, 92 individuals have been confirmed useless and 55 others injured. Kadayat mentioned.

The quake killed at the very least 36 individuals in neighboring Rukum district, the place quite a few homes collapsed, and at the very least 85 injured individuals have been taken to the native hospital, he mentioned.

On the regional hospital within the metropolis of Nepalgunj, greater than 100 hospital beds have been made accessible and groups of medical doctors stood by to assist the injured.

“I used to be quick asleep when hastily it began shaking violently. I attempted to run however the entire home collapsed. I attempted escaping however half my physique bought buried within the particles,” mentioned Bimal Kumar Karki, one of many first two individuals to be dropped at the regional hospital.

“I screamed, however each certainly one of my neighbors have been in the identical scenario and screaming for assist. It took practically a half hour to an hour earlier than rescuers discovered me,” he mentioned.

Safety officers labored with villagers all by means of the night time within the darkness to tug the useless and injured from fallen homes.

The quake, which hit when many individuals already have been asleep of their properties, was felt in India’s capital, New Delhi, greater than 800 kilometers (500 miles) away.

The U.S. Geological Survey mentioned the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at a depth of 11 miles. Nepal’s Nationwide Earthquake Monitoring & Analysis Heart mentioned its epicenter was at Jajarkot, which is about 250 miles northeast of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.

Earthquakes are widespread in mountainous Nepal. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 killed some 9,000 individuals and broken about 1 million buildings.

Neighboring India provided to assist in the rescue efforts.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on social media that he was deeply saddened by the lack of lives and harm because of the earthquake in Nepal.

“India stands in solidarity with the individuals of Nepal and is able to lengthen all doable help,” he mentioned.