At least 6 dead as 6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Nepal; tremors felt across north India

PTI, Nov 9, 2022, 8:06 AM IST

Representative Image (Source: ANI)

New Delhi / Kathmandu: At least six people were killed and five others injured when a powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck west Nepal early Wednesday, authorities said.

According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake occurred at 2:12 am with its epicentre at Khaptad National Park in Doti district.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhola Bhatta, the acting chief at the District Police Office in Doti, said that all the victims were killed by the debris of the houses damaged during the earthquake.

The earthquake that was felt mildly in Kathmandu and parts of India has also caused damage to dozens of other houses in the district.

Earlier, a 5.7-magnitude tremor was recorded at 9.07 pm and another 4.1- magnitude tremor at 9.56 pm on Tuesday at the same epicentre, according to the Seismological Centre.

In April 2015, a devastating earthquake of 7.8-magnitude rocked Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and wounding nearly 22,000 others. It also damaged over 800,000 houses and school buildings.

Earlier report:

Strong tremors were felt across north India and parts of Nepal in the early hours of Wednesday after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Himalayan region near Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand along the Nepal border.

The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) said the epicentre of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake, which struck at 1.57 am, was in Nepal, about 90 km east-southeast of Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. The region has been experiencing lower magnitude quakes for the last few days.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property in India and Nepal.

The National Earthquake Monitoring Centre of Nepal said a 6.6 magnitude quake was recorded at 2.12 am. The epicentre was Doti district.

Two moderate earthquakes preceded the stronger tremor that jolted western Nepal, a 5.7 magnitude tremor at 9.07 pm on Tuesday and a 4.1 magnitude one shortly after at 9.56 pm. The epicentre was the same, it said.

The tremors were felt across north India, including in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh as well as in India’s national capital Delhi and its suburbs of Gurugram and Ghaziabad. Many people shared their experiences on Twitter, posting videos of people rushing out of their homes and neighbours gathering in groups, huddled over their phones as they tried to find out what had happened and where the epicentre was. One video showed a chandelier shaking.

“I’m just 80 km away from the centre of this earthquake… I tell you guys … I was in deep sleep. My table started hitting the wall…Almirah made sound…and my bed shook… It was for at least 50 to 70 seconds,” posted Dinesh Sharma, who said he is based in Pilibhit near the border.

“The tremor was absolutely clear in Luckow too…,” added Tanmay Singh.

Neha Yadav, another Twitter user said, she had been in Delhi for four years and had never felt such tremors.

Adv Rahul Agrahari, who lives in Faridabad near Delhi, was eloquent in his description.

“It’s was like floor was hilling dulling so much Bec I sleep on the floor, Mujhe to lga bhoot h then Google kiya to got to know Ek hamare sector ke log Kumhkaran ke aulad koi bahar hi nahi aya,” he said, describing how he was shaken out of his sleep because and thought it was a ghost. It was only after he checked Google that he realised it was an earthquake.

“ It’s 2 am and people are having a stroll on the streets… Reason – #Earthquake,” said Aakash Biswas and shared a video of people moving on a street.

Among those who went on Twitter was Union minister Meenakashi Lekhi. “Didn’t want to tweet but one can safely say it did feel like an earthquake!” Congress leader Radhika Khera urged people to “stay alert and stay safe”.

Radio Jockey Raunac said, “It was scary…extremely scary.” A 4.5 magnitude earthquake had struck Uttarakhand on Sunday with the epicenter 17 km east-southeast of Uttarkashi.