6 killed in 5.6-magnitude earthquake in western Nepal
An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit western Nepal Wednesday morning local time, killing at least six people, local officials said.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter was in the urban area, at a depth of 15.7 km. The USGS said it was 13 miles east of Dipayal, a municipality in the westernmost district of Dhoti in Nepal.
At least six people were killed and five wounded in the rural town of Porpichawk in the Dotti district, Deputy Police Inspector Paula Bhatta told CNN.
He noted that the earthquake completely destroyed three houses, adding that a search and rescue operation is underway.
Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday expressed his condolences to the families of the dead.
“I directed the relevant authorities to ensure the immediate and proper treatment of the wounded and victims during emergency and rescue operations in the affected areas,” he wrote.
The earthquake was felt as far away as the Indian capital, New Delhi, and lasted about ten seconds.
Bhatta said authorities were not expecting a large number of casualties because the epicenter of the quake appeared to be in a sparsely populated area around Khuptad National Park.
In 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and destroying homes and buildings.
The interior is where the tectonic plates of India and Eurasia collide, giving rise to the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau, making Nepal vulnerable to earthquakes.
Broadcast on CNN