Kathmandu: Just three weeks after a major earthquake devastated Nepal, another temblor measuring 7.3 on Richter Scale shook the country on Tuesday afternoon killing dozens, bringing back horrific memories of April 25 tremor that killed 8,000 people and levelled thousands of houses.
According to the latest death toll estimate by Nepal's Home Ministry, a total of 42 people have been confirmed killed so far while over 1100 people have been injured in the new quake, reports a news agency. The police fear that the death toll may rise as reports from other areas are awaited.
According to International Organization for Migration, the latest earthquake has adversely affected the town of Chautara in Sindhupalchowk district, where several buildings collapsed. Also there were several landslides triggered by the quake, one on a route for goods coming from India.
Landslide on main highway outside Chitawan on way to KTM. #NepalEarthquake @IOM_news. Route for goods from India pic.twitter.com/eftcNWWgXR
— IOM Asia-Pacific (@IOMasiapacific) May 12, 2015
IOM's Paul Dillon from @IOM_Nepal says quake hit #Kathmandu moments ago. Streets full of people, screaming children pic.twitter.com/a3w7566trJ
— IOM (@IOM_news) May 12, 2015
IOM staff comfort terrified people in Chautara after #EarthquakeAgain in #Nepal pic.twitter.com/PU4vERtPBF
— IOM (@IOM_news) May 12, 2015
IOM spokesman Paul Dillon said a search and rescue team had already begun searching through the wreckage of the little town.
The US Geological Survey, initially said that today's quake measured 7.4 on Richter Scale, however it later revised the magnitude to 7.3.
The quake hit at 12:35 pm, 68 km (about 42 miles) west of the town of Namche Bazar, close to Mount Everest at a depth of 18.5 kilometres. Three strong aftershocks were felt within an hour of the main earthquake.
Prelim M7.4 earthquake NEPAL May-12 07:05 UTC, updates http://t.co/RSXtr3kD1M, 86 #quake tweets/min
— USGSted (@USGSted) May 12, 2015
The quake`s epicentre was about 83 km east of Kathmandu, close to Everest Base Camp, which was evacuated after an avalanche triggered by last month`s quake killed 18 climbers.
In capital Kathmandu, the quake sent panic-stricken people rushing outside of their homes into the streets.
One of the eyewitnesses described the experience as more dangerous than April 25 quake.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.
Parents could be seen clutching children tightly and hundreds of people were frantically trying to call relatives on their mobile phones. Shopkeepers closed their shops and the streets were jammed with people rushing to check on their families.
The Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu which had been closed after tremor, has been re-opened now.
New Agency Inputs
