An earthquake struck Nepal late in the evening and, according to initial reports, claimed more than 60 lives. According to measurements from the US Earthquake Observatory (USGS), it had a magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at a depth of about 18 kilometers. The center was therefore about 400 kilometers northeast of the capital Kathmandu.
Contacting the affected Jajarkot district was difficult at night. Initial reports from the region, which has a population of 190,000, said at least 34 people were killed. In neighboring Rukum district, police reported at least 35 deaths. Numerous houses collapsed.
Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that rescue teams were on the way. According to a report in the Times of India, the earthquake was felt as far away as New Delhi, India. Videos on social media showed people fleeing into the streets. The Himalayan region, where Nepal is located, is geologically extremely active.