On Friday night, a strong earthquake hit Nepal, causing more than 150 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the isolated western regions of Jajarkot and Rukum. The quake, which had a magnitude of 5.6 on the Richter scale, was felt throughout the country and in some parts of northern India. It was the most fatal earthquake in Nepal since the 2015 catastrophe that killed almost 9,000 people.
The impact and the aftermath of the quake
The earthquake occurred at 23:47 local time (18:02 GMT), according to Nepal's Monitoring and Research Centre. The US Geological Survey said it was a shallow earthquake, meaning it occurred near the earth's surface, which increased its effect. The epicenter was located about 500 km (310 miles) west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, in the mountainous terrain of the Himalayas.
The quake caused landslides that cut off roads and hindered rescue efforts. Many people stayed outside overnight, fearing more tremors and more damage to their houses. Video footage on local media showed collapsed fronts of multi-storied brick houses. People were seen digging through debris in the dark to rescue survivors from the ruins of fallen buildings.
The districts of Jajarkot and Rukum were the most affected areas, where most of the casualties were reported. Jajarkot's hospital was crowded with the injured. "People are scared and staying outdoors," Rabi KC, mayor of Aathbiskot municipality, told BBC. He said that they experienced a very powerful shake at midnight and people ran outside. "Hundreds of mud houses have been totally destroyed. We are engaged in rescue and relief efforts."
The challenges and the response
Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reached the affected region on Saturday, after expressing his "deep sorrow" at the loss of life and property caused by the quake, on social media platform X. He said he had ordered security agencies to immediately start rescue and relief operations. He also announced a compensation of 100,000 Nepalese rupees ($840) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees ($420) for the injured.
Security forces, including the army and the police, were sent to the quake-hit areas to help the local authorities and the civilians. Helicopters were also used to transport the injured and the trapped to safer places. The government said it had allocated 500 million rupees ($4.2 million) for the relief and rehabilitation work.
However, the response faced several challenges due to the remoteness and the inaccessibility of the affected areas. The police chief of Jajarkot district, Suresh Sunar, told Reuters that it was hard to get a full picture of what had happened. "I am out in the open myself. We are collecting details but due to cold and night it is difficult to get information from remote areas," he said.
The quake also exposed the vulnerability of Nepal's infrastructure and housing, which had not fully recovered from the 2015 earthquakes. Many buildings were still damaged or weakened by the previous quakes, making them more prone to collapse. The lack of building codes and enforcement also contributed to the poor quality and safety of the structures.
The solidarity and the support needed
The earthquake has once again shown the world the fragility and the resilience of Nepal, a landlocked country that lies along the Himalayan fault line, where there is a lot of seismic activity. Nepal has experienced several major earthquakes in its history, including the 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake that killed more than 10,000 people and the 2015 Nepal earthquakes that killed almost 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000.
The people of Nepal have shown remarkable courage and solidarity in the face of these disasters, but they also need the support and the assistance of the international community. The United Nations, the Red Cross, and other humanitarian agencies have expressed their readiness to provide aid and relief to the quake-affected people. Several countries, including India, China, and the US, have also offered their condolences and help to Nepal.
The earthquake has also highlighted the need for more investment and innovation in disaster risk reduction and preparedness, especially in the areas of early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and public awareness. Nepal has made some progress in these areas, but there is still a lot of room for improvement and learning from best practices.
As Nepal grieves the loss of its people and tries to rebuild its homes and lives, it deserves the compassion and the solidarity of the world. The earthquake may have shaken the land, but it cannot shake the spirit of the Nepalese people. They will rise again, stronger and more united than ever.
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