Strong Earthquake Hits Kathmandu, Tremors Felt in Bihar

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Kathmandu and the Sindhupalchowk district early Friday morning, injuring at least four people. Tremors were also felt in several border districts of Bihar, India, with no reports of significant damage or casualties. This incident highlights Nepal’s vulnerability to seismic events.

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck early Friday morning at 2:51 AM, with its epicenter located in Bhairabkunda, Sindhupalchowk district, approximately 65 kilometers east of Kathmandu, as reported by the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre. The quake left at least four individuals injured in Kathmandu and the surrounding regions, as well as causing structural damage to several houses in Sindhupalchowk. In the aftermath of the tremor, many residents in the Kathmandu valley evacuated their homes in fear, contributing to the reported injuries.

In Kathmandu, two individuals sustained injuries, while an inmate at Chautara prison was hurt during an attempt to escape. Additionally, an elderly man in a nearby village was injured while exiting his home following the quake. Nepal’s geographical location in a highly active seismic zone, particularly in areas IV and V, renders it vulnerable to significant seismic events.

The earthquake was also felt across several districts in Bihar, India, with tremors reported in locations such as Muzaffarpur and Samastipur. Umesh Kumar Singh, a meteorologist with the Bihar government’s disaster management department, confirmed that the tremors occurred around 2:35 AM, affecting areas along the Indo-Nepal border for several seconds. Fortunately, there were no reports of property damage or casualties in Bihar following the incident, suggesting minimal impact from the quake.

Historically, Nepal has experienced severe earthquakes; the most catastrophic being the April 2015 quake, which measured 7.8 in magnitude and resulted in over 9,000 fatalities along with substantial structural damage. As such, the recent earthquake has garnered significant attention, causing search trends related to the Nepal earthquake to spike online in recent hours.

The recent earthquake in Nepal has resulted in injuries in Kathmandu and Sindhupalchowk, while also sending tremors into bordering regions of Bihar. The authorities have attributed the earthquakes’ intensity to Nepal’s location within a highly active seismic zone. Thankfully, the impacts in Bihar appear to be minimal without reported injuries or damage, though the incident has revived concerns about earthquake preparedness in the region.

Original Source: www.onmanorama.com