At least 37 dead in earthquake in Nepal
At least 37 people have died in a strong earthquake in Nepal. A representative of the district administration in the Jajarkot district, where the center of the quake was located, told the German Press Agency. The actual number of victims is likely to rise. Confirmed figures on deaths or injuries from other areas cut off from the outside world were not initially available.
According to measurements by the National Earthquake Monitoring Center (NEMRC), the quake had a magnitude of 6.4 and occurred at 11.47 p.m. local time. It was also felt in the north of neighboring India, including in the capital New Delhi, as reported by the Times of India and other Indian media.
The Himalayan region, where Nepal is located, is geologically extremely active. There, the Indian continental plate is shifting under the Eurasian plate at a rate of around two centimetres per year - which repeatedly leads to strong earthquakes.
Around eight years ago - in spring 2015 - a particularly severe earthquake shook the area around the capital Kathmandu and caused numerous buildings to collapse - including Unesco World Heritage Sites. Around 9,000 people lost their lives back then and millions were left homeless.
The earthquake in Nepal has resulted in at least 37 reported deaths. The active geology of the Himalayan region, where Nepal is located, often leads to strong earthquakes due to the shifting of the Indian continental plate under the Eurasian plate.
Source: www.dpa.com
